Golf ball compositions having in-situ or reactive impact modified silicone-urea or silicone urethane

ABSTRACT

Modified silicone urea and modified silicone urethane polymers for use in golf equipment components to provide improved impact resistance upon contact with a golf club including reactive polymer alloys formed in situ from silicone-ureas and/or silicone-urethanes and impact resistant polymers and oligomers.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/373,441, filed Mar. 13, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,705,102, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/843,017, filed on May 11, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,037,217, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/277,154, filed on Oct. 21, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,739,987, which claims priority to Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/348,496, filed on Oct. 22, 2001. The entire disclosures of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/843,017, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/277,154, and Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/348,496 are incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the use of in-situ modified silicone urea and/or in-situ modified silicone urethane polymers in golf equipment components to provide improved impact resistance upon contact with a golf club. The present invention further relates to reactive polymer alloys having silicone-urea and/or silicone-urethane and impact resistant polymers and oligomers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Golf ball manufacturers are constantly trying to achieve the perfect balance between feel and performance. The physical characteristics of a golf ball are determined by the combined properties of the core, any intermediate layers, and the cover, which are, in turn, determined by the chemical compositions of each layer. For example, a particular composition used for a cover layer may increase distance while another composition may provide improved spin.

For example, golf ball covers formed from balata allow players to achieve spin rates sufficient to control ball direction and distance, particularly on shorter shots. However, balata covers are easily damaged. In contrast, golf balls covers formed from ionomer resins provide higher durability and overall distance, but lack the spin and feel of balata-covered balls. And, unlike ionomer-covered golf balls, polyurethane covered golf balls can be formulated to possess the soft “feel” of balata covered golf balls, however, golf ball covers made from polyurethane have not, to date, fully matched ionomer-covered golf balls with respect to resilience or the rebound of the golf ball cover. In addition, polyurethane-covered golf balls may be susceptible to yellowing (due to the use of aromatic components) and moisture absorption. Paints and moisture barrier layers may be used to counteract against the yellowing and moisture absorption in polyurethane-covered balls.

Polyurea materials have recently come onto the scene for golf ball layer materials due to the improved resilience and adherence to layers formed of different materials. In addition, because polyurea-based compositions may be formed from aliphatic materials, the yellowing of aromatic polyurethane-covered golf balls is typically not an issue for aliphatic polyurea-covered golf balls. Similar to polyurethane, however, because a polyurea golf ball cover is generally softer than a thermoplastic ionomer golf ball cover, the coefficient of restitution does not compare to an ionomer-covered golf ball.

In addition, conventional polyurea compositions have several characteristics that are undesirable for golf equipment applications including uncontrollable reaction rates, non-homogenous mixtures, poor adhesion, shrinkage, and non-optimal chemical resistance. For example, the reaction times for conventional polyurea compositions are very fast, i.e., an aliphatic isocyanate and an aliphatic amine may react and gel in about 5 seconds, which make it difficult to control the formation of the composition. In addition, several reactions may take place in a polyurea composition, which result in a non-homogenous mixture. For instance, a first reaction may take place between the highly reactive components followed by subsequent reactions between the less reactive components. The non-homogenous nature may affect the finish, properties, and consistency of the resultant composition. Furthermore, fast reactions between the amine and isocyanate generally do not allow adequate time for the polyurea to penetrate and adhere to a substrate.

Silicone materials have also been used in golf balls to purportedly increase the coefficient of restitution and/or durability based on their innate ability to provide materials having fairly high ultimate elongation. The use of such materials, however, has been primarily limited to interior layers of a golf ball. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,159,110 discloses the use of silicone polymers, silicone fluids, silicone elastomers, and silicone resins in interior golf ball layers. In addition, like conventional polyurea materials, conventional silicone materials have several characteristics that are undesirable, including low-moderate tensile strengths. Furthermore, the use of silicone elastomers in the manufacture of golf balls requires covalent crosslinking because linear or branched silicone (polydimethylsiloxane) (PSX) homopolymers are viscous liquids or millable gums at room temperature.

Regardless of how the cross vulcanization is effected, the resulting thermoset silicone cannot be re-dissolved or re-melted, which severely reduces the number of options for post-fabrication operations. For example, thermal forming, radio frequency welding, heat sealing and solvent bonding are essentially unavailable when working with conventional silicone elastomers. Once formed, however, the infinite network provides the polymer its rubber elasticity and characteristic physical-mechanical properties.

In light of the independent benefits and deficiencies discussed above for the various materials, it would be advantageous to incorporate the favorable properties of each individual material into a composition for use in golf balls so that the strengths of each material can be maximized and the weaknesses minimized. For example, there is a need in the art for a polyurea-based or polyurethane-based composition with a controllable reaction rate, homogenous properties, and increased durability and impact resistance. The present invention seeks to address these needs through the use of polymer alloying and blending.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a golf ball including a core and a cover, wherein at least a portion of the golf ball is formed from a composition including a) a first component including silicone and urea linkages, urethane linkages, or a combination of urea and urethane linkages; and b) an impact resistant polymer. In one embodiment, the impact resistant polymers include ethylene-n-butyl acrylate-glycidyl acrylate, maleic anhydride grafted ethylene-butene copolymer, maleic anhydride grafted ethylene-hexene copolymer, maleic anhydride grafted ethylene-octene copolymer, ethylene-n-butyl acrylate-carbon monoxide, acid copolymers, chemically-modified ethylene-propylene rubber, EPDM rubber, ABS, MBS, SEBS-g-MA, or any combination thereof. In another embodiment, the composition consists of urea and silicone linkages.

In this aspect of the invention, the first component may be the reaction product of an isocyanate, an amine adduct, and a curing agent. In another embodiment, the first component is the reaction product of an isocyanate, an hydroxy adduct, and a curing agent. In still another embodiment, the first component is the reaction product of an isocyanate, an amine-terminated component, and a silicone-containing component. In yet another embodiment, the first component is the reaction product of an isocyanate, an amine-terminated component, and a silicone-containing component.

The present invention also relates to a golf ball including a core and a cover, wherein the cover is formed from a composition including a) a first component including a reaction product of i) an isocyanate and ii) an amine-terminated component, a hydroxyl-terminated component, or combination thereof; b) a second component including a silicone; and c) a third component including an impact resistant polymer.

In this aspect of the invention, the impact resistant polymer may include ethylene-n-butyl acrylate-glycidyl acrylate, maleic anhydride grafted ethylene-butene copolymer, maleic anhydride grafted ethylene-hexene copolymer, maleic anhydride grafted ethylene-octene copolymer, ethylene-n-butyl acrylate-carbon monoxide, acid copolymers, chemically-modified ethylene-propylene rubber, EPDM rubber, ABS, MBS, SEBS-g-MA, or any combination thereof.

In one embodiment, the first component is saturated. In another embodiment, the composition further includes an amine-terminated curing agent, a hydroxyl-terminated curing agent, or a combination thereof.

The composition may consists of the following linkages:

Alternatively, the composition may include the following linkages:

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the use of in-situ modified silicone urea polymers and/or silicone urethane polymeric compositions that provide increased impact resistance. In particular, the compositions of the invention may be based on polymer alloys. Because polymer alloys generally contain several dissimilar polymer ingredients, the compositions of the invention capitalize on the beneficial properties of the separate polymers, while compensating for, or completely overcoming, any deficiencies of the polymers to arrive at a material that provides enhanced characteristics.

The compositions of the invention may be used in a variety of golf equipment. For example, various structural layers of golf balls may be formed from the compositions of the invention, as well as other golf equipment components, such as club head and shoe inserts. In addition, the compositions of the invention are contemplated for use as coatings, as well as in medical and automotive applications.

Compositions of the Invention

As discussed generally above, the compositions of the invention are generally based on polymer alloys containing urethane linkages, urea linkages, or a combination of urethane and urea linkages. For example, the compositions of the invention include an aromatic or aliphatic urethane or urea segment. In addition, because many silicones have low hardness and low modulus values, incorporating a silicone into a polyurethane or polyurea composition may provide additional softness. The silicone may be present along the polymer backbone and/or in the form of covalently bonded end groups or grafts. The silicone-modified urethanes and ureas are further modified with an impact resistant polymer.

Each component used to form the compositions of the invention is discussed in greater detail below. In addition, various methods for forming the compositions are provided.

Isocyanate-Donor Components

Any isocyanate having two or more isocyanates groups, e.g., two to four isocyanate groups, bonded to an organic radical, may be used to form the prepolymers of the present invention. The general formula of a suitable isocyanate for use with the present invention is as follows: R—(NCO)_(x) where R may be any organic radical having a valence x. In one embodiment, R is a straight or branched hydrocarbon moiety, acyclic group, cyclic group, heterocyclic group, aromatic group, phenyl group, hydrocarbylene group, or a mixture thereof. For example, R may be a hydrocarbylene group having about 6 to about 25 carbons, preferably about 6 to about 12 carbon atoms. In another embodiment, R is unsubstituted or substituted. For example, in some cases, the cyclic or aromatic group(s) may be substituted at the 2-, 3-, and/or 4-positions, or at the ortho-, meta-, and/or para-positions, respectively. Substituted groups may include, but are not limited to, halogens, primary, secondary, or tertiary hydrocarbon groups, or a mixture thereof.

Because light stability of the compositions of the invention may be accomplished in a variety of ways for the purposes of this application, i.e., through the use of saturated components, light stabilizers, whitening agents, or a mixture thereof, the isocyanate used in the prepolymer may be saturated, semi-saturated, unsaturated, or a mixture thereof. For example, isocyanates for use with the present invention include aliphatic (saturated), cycloaliphatic, aromatic aliphatic (semi-saturated), aromatic (unsaturated), any derivatives thereof, and combinations of these compounds having two or more isocyanate (NCO) groups per molecule. The term “saturated,” as used herein, refers to compositions having saturated aliphatic and alicyclic polymer backbones, i.e., with no carbon-carbon double bonds. As used herein, aromatic aliphatic compounds should be understood as those containing an aromatic ring, wherein the isocyanate group is not directly bonded to the ring. One example of an aromatic aliphatic compound is a tetramethylene diisocyanate (TMXDI).

The isocyanates may be organic polyisocyanate-terminated prepolymers, low free isocyanate prepolymer, and mixtures thereof. The isocyanate-containing reactable component may also include any isocyanate-functional monomer, dimer, trimer, or polymeric adduct thereof, prepolymer, quasi-prepolymer, or mixtures thereof. In one embodiment, triisocyanates are used to form the prepolymer, which ultimately results in three-dimensional crosslinking with the curing agent.

Examples of isocyanates that can be used with the present invention include, but are not limited to, substituted and isomeric mixtures including 2,2′-, 2,4′-, and 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI); 3,3′-dimethyl-4,4′-biphenylene diisocyanate (TODI); toluene diisocyanate (TDI), such as 2,4-toluene diisocyanate and 2,6-diisocyanate; dianisidine diisocyanate; bitolyene diisocyanate; naphthalene-1,4-diisocyanate; polymeric MDI; carbodiimide-modified liquid 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate; para-phenylene diisocyanate (PPDI); meta-phenylene diisocyanate (MPDI); triphenyl methane-4,4′- and triphenyl methane-4,4″-triisocyanate; naphthylene-1,5-diisocyanate; 2,4′-, 4,4′-, and 2,2-biphenyl diisocyanate; polyphenylene polymethylene polyisocyanate (PMDI) (also known as polymeric PMDI); mixtures of MDI and PMDI; mixtures of PMDI and TDI; ethylene diisocyanate; propylene-1,2-diisocyanate; tetramethylene-1,2-diisocyanate; tetramethylene-1,3-diisocyanate; tetramethylene-1,4-diisocyanate; 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI); octamethylene diisocyanate; decamethylene diisocyanate; 2,2,4-trimethylhexamethylene diisocyanate; 2,4,4-trimethylhexamethylene diisocyanate; dodecane-1,12-diisocyanate; dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate; cyclobutane-1,3-diisocyanate; cyclohexane-1,2-diisocyanate; cyclohexane-1,3-diisocyanate; cyclohexane-1,4-diisocyanate; methylcyclohexylene diisocyanate (HTDI); 2,4-methylcyclohexane diisocyanate; 2,6-methylcyclohexane diisocyanate; 4,4′-dicyclohexyl diisocyanate; 2,4′-dicyclohexyl diisocyanate; 1,3,5-cyclohexane triisocyanate; isocyanatomethylcyclohexane isocyanate; 1-isocyanato-3,3,5-trimethyl-5-isocyanatomethylcyclohexane; isocyanatoethylcyclohexane isocyanate; bis(isocyanatomethyl)-cyclohexane diisocyanate; 4,4′-bis(isocyanatomethyl) dicyclohexane; 2,4′-bis(isocyanatomethyl) dicyclohexane; isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI); triisocyanate of HDI; triisocyanate of 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,6-hexane diisocyanate (TMDI); 4,4′dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate (H₁₂MDI); 2,4-hexahydrotoluene diisocyanate; 2,6-hexahydrotoluene diisocyanate; 1,2-, 1,3-, and 1,4-phenylene diisocyanate; 2,4,6-toluene triisocyanate; trimerized isocyanurate of any polyisocyanate, such as isocyanurate of toluene diisocyanate, trimer of diphenylmethane diisocyanate, trimer of tetramethylxylene diisocyanate, isocyanurate of hexamethylene diisocyanate, and mixtures thereof; dimerized uretdione of any polyisocyanate, such as uretdione of toluene diisocyanate, uretdione of hexamethylene diisocyanate, and mixtures thereof; modified polyisocyanate derived from the above isocyanates and polyisocyanates; and mixtures thereof.

Suitable saturated isocyanates include, but are not limited to, ethylene diisocyanate; propylene-1,2-diisocyanate; tetramethylene diisocyanate; tetramethylene-1,4-diisocyanate; 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI); octamethylene diisocyanate; decamethylene diisocyanate; 2,2,4-trimethylhexamethylene diisocyanate; 2,4,4-trimethylhexamethylene diisocyanate; dodecane-1,12-diisocyanate; dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate; cyclobutane-1,3-diisocyanate; cyclohexane-1,2-diisocyanate; cyclohexane-1,3-diisocyanate; cyclohexane-1,4-diisocyanate; methylcyclohexylene diisocyanate (HTDI); 2,4-methylcyclohexane diisocyanate; 2,6-methylcyclohexane diisocyanate; 4,4′-dicyclohexyl diisocyanate; 2,4′-dicyclohexyl diisocyanate; 1,3,5-cyclohexane triisocyanate; isocyanatomethylcyclohexane isocyanate; 1-isocyanato-3,3,5-trimethyl-5-isocyanatomethylcyclohexane (isophorone diisocyanate); isocyanatoethylcyclohexane isocyanate; bis(isocyanatomethyl)-cyclohexane diisocyanate; 4,4′-bis(isocyanatomethyl) dicyclohexane; 2,4′-bis(isocyanatomethyl) dicyclohexane; isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI); triisocyanate of HDI; triisocyanate of 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,6-hexane diisocyanate (TMDI); 4,4′-dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate (H₁₂MDI); 2,4-hexahydrotoluene diisocyanate; 2,6-hexahydrotoluene diisocyanate; acetone-aminotrimethylcyclohexane-methanaime; and mixtures thereof.

Aromatic aliphatic isocyanates may also be used to form light stable materials. Examples of such isocyanates include 1,2-, 1,3-, and 1,4-xylene diisocyanate; meta-tetramethylxylene diisocyanate (m-TMXDI); para-tetramethylxylene diisocyanate (p-TMXDI); 4,4′-diphenylpropane diisocyanate; bis(4-isocyanatophenyl)methane; bis(3-methyl-4-isocyanatophenyl)methane; trimerized isocyanurate of any polyisocyanate, such as isocyanurate of toluene diisocyanate, trimer of diphenylmethane diisocyanate, trimer of tetramethylxylene diisocyanate, isocyanurate of hexamethylene diisocyanate, and mixtures thereof; dimerized uretdione of any polyisocyanate, such as uretdione of toluene diisocyanate, uretdione of hexamethylene diisocyanate, and mixtures thereof; a modified polyisocyanate derived from the above isocyanates and polyisocyanates; and mixtures thereof.

Isocyanate-Reactive Components

As will be discussed in more detail below, amine-terminated and/or hydroxyl-terminated components may be used to at least partially react with the NCO groups in the isocyanate to form urea linkages, urethane linkages, or a combination thereof. For example, the reaction between an amine-terminated component and an isocyanate forms urea linkages whereas the reaction between a hydroxyl-terminated component and an isocyanate forms urethane linkages.

Amine-Terminated Components

Any amine-terminated component available to one of ordinary skill in the art is suitable for use as the isocyanate-reactive component. The amine-terminated component may include amine-terminated hydrocarbons, amine-terminated polyethers, amine-terminated polyesters, amine-terminated polycarbonates, amine-terminated polycaprolactones, and mixtures thereof. The amine-terminated component may be in the form of a primary amine (NH₂) or a secondary amine (NHR). The amine-terminated component may be saturated or unsaturated. In one embodiment, the amine-terminated is saturated.

The molecular weight of the amine-terminated component for use in the invention may range from about 100 to about 10,000. In one embodiment, the amine-terminated component is about 500 or greater, preferably about 1000 or greater, and even more preferably about 2000 or greater. In another embodiment, the amine-terminated component molecular weight is about 8000 or less, preferably about 4,000 or less, and more preferably about 3,000 or less. For example, in one embodiment, the molecular weight of the amine-terminated component is about 1000 to about 4000. Because lower molecular weight polyether amines may be prone to forming solid polyureas due to the high reactivity, a higher molecular weight oligomer may be used to avoid solid formation.

In one embodiment, the amine-terminated compound includes amine-terminated hydrocarbons having the following generic structures:

where x is the chain length, i.e., 1 or greater, n is preferably about 1 to about 12, and R is any alkyl group having from about 1 to about 20 carbon atoms, preferably about 1 to about 12 carbon atoms, a phenyl group, a cyclic group, or mixture thereof.

The amine-terminated compound may also includes amine-terminated polyethers having following generic structures:

where x is the chain length, i.e., 1 or greater, n is preferably about 1 to about 12, and R is any alkyl group having from about 1 to about 20 carbon atoms, preferably about 1 to about 12 carbon atoms, a phenyl group, a cyclic group, or mixture thereof. One example of an amine-terminated polyether is a polyether amine. Due to the rapid reaction of isocyanate and amine, and the insolubility of many urea products, however, the selection of diamines and polyether amines is limited to those allowing the successful formation of the polyurea prepolymers. In one embodiment, the polyether backbone is based on tetramethylene, propylene, ethylene, trimethylolpropane, glycerin, and mixtures thereof. hereof.

Suitable polyether amines include, but are not limited to, methyldiethanolamine; polyoxyalkylenediamines such as, polytetramethylene ether diamines, polyoxypropylenetriamine, polyoxyethylene diamines, and polyoxypropylene diamines; poly(ethylene oxide capped oxypropylene) ether diamines; propylene oxide-based triamines; triethyleneglycoldiamines; trimethylolpropane-based triamines; glycerin-based triamines; and mixtures thereof. In one embodiment, the polyether amine used to form the prepolymer is Jeffamine® D2000 (manufactured by Huntsman Corporation of Austin, Tex.).

In addition, the amine-terminated component may include amine-terminated polyesters having the generic structures:

where x is the chain length, i.e., 1 or greater, preferably about 1 to about 20, R is any alkyl group having from about 1 to about 20 carbon atoms, preferably about 1 to about 12 carbon atoms, a phenyl group, a cyclic group, or mixture thereof, and R₁ and R₂ are straight or branched hydrocarbon chains, e.g., alkyl or aryl chains.

Copolymers of polycaprolactone and polyamines may also be used as the isocyanate-reactive component of the present invention. These copolymers include, but are not limited to, bis(2-aminoethyl) ether initiated polycaprolactone, 2-(2-aminoethylamino) ethanol, 2-2(aminoethylamino) ethanol, polyoxyethylene diamine initiated polycaprolactone, propylene diamine initiated polycaprolactone, polyoxypropylene diamine initiated polycaprolactone, 1,4-butanediamine initiated polycaprolactone, trimethylolpropane-based triamine initiated polycaprolactone, neopentyl diamine initiated polycaprolactone, hexanediamine initiated polycaprolactone, polytetramethylene ether diamine initiated polycaprolactone, and mixtures thereof. In addition, polycaprolactone polyamines having the following structures may be useful according to the present invention:

where x is the chain length, i.e., 1 or greater, preferably about 1 to about 20, R is one of an alkyl group having from about 1 to about 20 carbons, preferably about 1 to about 12 carbons, a phenyl group, or a cyclic group, and R₁ is a straight or branched hydrocarbon chain including about 1 to about 20 carbons.

where x is the chain length, i.e., 1 or greater, preferably about 1 to about 20, R is one of an alkyl group having from about 1 to about 20 carbons, preferably about 1 to about 12 carbons, a phenyl group, or a cyclic group, and R₁ is a straight or branched hydrocarbon chain including about 1 to about 20 carbons.

In another embodiment, the amine-terminated component may be an amine-terminated polycarbonate having one of the following generic structures:

where x is the chain length, which preferably ranges from about 1 to about 20, R is one of an alkyl group having from about 1 to about 20 carbons, preferably about 1 to about 12 carbons, a phenyl group, or a cyclic group, and R₁ is a straight chain hydrocarbon or predominantly bisphenol A units or derivatives thereof.

Amine-terminated polyamides may also be reacted with the isocyanate component to form urea linkages. Suitable amine-terminated polyamides include, but are not limited to, those having following structures:

where x is the chain length, i.e., about 1 or greater, R is one of an alkyl group having from about 1 to about 20 carbons, preferably about 1 to about 12 carbons, a phenyl group, or a cyclic group, R₁ is an alkyl group having about 1 to about 12 carbon atoms, a phenyl group, or a cyclic group, and R₂ is an alkyl group having about 1 to about 12 carbon atoms (straight or branched), a phenyl group, or a cyclic group.

Additional amine-terminated compounds may also be useful in forming the prepolymers of the present invention include, but are not limited to, poly(acrylonitrile-co-butadiene); poly(1,4-butanediol) bis(4-aminobenzoate) in liquid or waxy solid form; linear and branched polyethylenimine; low and high molecular weight polyethylenimine having an average molecular weight of about 500 to about 30,000; poly(propylene glycol) bis(2-aminopropyl ether) having an average molecular weight of about 200 to about 5,000; polytetrahydrofuran bis (3-aminopropyl) terminated having an average molecular weight of about 200 to about 2000; and mixtures thereof, all of which are available from Aldrich of Milwaukee, Wis. Thus, in one embodiment, the prepolymer includes a poly(acrylonitrile-co-butadiene) having one of the following structures:

wherein x and y are chain lengths, i.e., greater than about 1, R is any alkyl group having from about 1 to about 20 carbon atoms, preferably about 1 to about 12 carbon atoms, a phenyl group, a cyclic group, or mixture thereof, R₁ is a hydrogen, methyl group, cyano group, phenyl group, or a mixture thereof, and R₂ is a hydrogen, a methyl group, chloride, or a mixture thereof. In one embodiment, the y:x ratio is about 82:18 to about 90:10. In other words, the poly(acrylonitrile-co-butadiene) may have from about 10 percent to about 18 percent acrylonitrile by weight.

In another embodiment, the prepolymer includes a poly(1,4-butanediol) bis(4-aminobenzoate) having one of the following structures:

where x and n are chain lengths, i.e., 1 or greater, and n is preferably about 1 to about 12, R and R₁ are linear or branched hydrocarbon chains, an alkyl group having from about 1 to about 20 carbons, preferably about 1 to about 12 carbons, a phenyl group, a cyclic group, or mixtures thereof, and R₂ is a hydrogen, a methyl group, or a mixture thereof. In one embodiment, R₁ is phenyl, R₂ is hydrogen, and n is about 2.

In yet another embodiment, the prepolymer includes at least one linear or branched polyethyleneimine having one of the following structures:

wherein x and y are chain lengths, i.e., greater than about 1, R is any alkyl group having from about 1 to about 20 carbon atoms, preferably about 1 to about 12 carbon atoms, a phenyl group, a cyclic group, or mixture thereof, and R₁ is a hydrogen, methyl group, or a mixture thereof. In one embodiment, R₁ is hydrogen. In another embodiment, the polyurea prepolymer includes a mixture of linear and branched polyethyleneimines.

In still another embodiment, the prepolymer of the present invention includes a polytetrahydrofuran bis(3-aminopropyl) terminated compound having one of the following structures:

where m and n are chain lengths, i.e., 1 or greater, n is preferably about 1 to about 12 and m is preferably about 1 to about 6, R is any one alkyl group having from about 1 to about 20 carbons, preferably about 1 to about 12 carbons, a phenyl group, a cyclic group, or mixtures thereof, and R₁ and R₂ are hydrogen, methyl groups, or mixtures thereof. In one embodiment, both R₁ and R₂ are hydrogen and both m and n are about 2.

In addition, diamines and triamines may be used with the isocyanate to form the prepolymer of the present invention. In one embodiment, aromatic diamines may be used when an ultraviolet stabilizer or whitening agent is intended to be incorporated during post processing. U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,870 provides suitable aromatic diamines suitable for use with the present invention, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. For example, useful aromatic polyamines include polymethylene-di-p-aminobenzoates, polyethyleneglycol-bis(4-aminobenzoate), polytetramethylene etherglycol-di-p-aminobenzoate, polypropyleneglycol-di-p-aminobenzoate, and mixtures thereof. In addition, triamines that may be used in forming the prepolymer of the invention include N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-ethylenediamine, 1,4-diazobicyclo(2,2,2)-octane, N-methyl-N′-dimethylaminoethylpiperazine, N,N-dimethylbenzylamine, bis-(N,N-diethylaminoethyl)-adipate, N,N-diethylbenzylamine, pentamethyldiethylenetriamine, N,N-dimethylcyclohexylamine, N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,3-butanediamine, N,N-dimethyl-beta-phenylethylamine, 1,2-dimethylimidazole, and 2-methylimidazole.

By using an amine-terminated component based on a hydrophobic segment, the compositions of the invention may be more water resistant than those compositions formed with an amine-terminated hydrophilic segment. Thus, in one embodiment, the amine-terminated compound includes hydrophobic backbone, e.g., an unsaturated or saturated hydrocarbon-based amine-terminated compound. One example of an amine-terminated hydrocarbon is an amine-terminated polybutadiene.

Other nonlimiting examples of suitable amine-terminated compounds are disclosed in co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/900,469, filed on Jul. 28, 2004, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. Examples include, but are not limited to, triethylene glycol diamine; N,N′-diisopropyl-isophorone diamine (commercially available as Jefflink® 754); polyoxyalkyleneamines such as polyoxypropylene diamine, polyoxyethylene diamines, polytetramethylene ether diamines, polyoxypropylene triamines, and polyoxyethylene triamines; 1,2-, 1,3- or 1,4-bis(sec-butylamino) benzene (commercially available as Unilink® 4100); 4,4′-bis(sec-butylamino)-diphenylmethane (commercially available as Unilink® 4200); trimethyleneglycol-di(p-aminobenzoate); trimethyleneglycol-di(o-aminobenzoate); trimethyleneglycol-di(m-aminobenzoate); polyethyleneglycol-di(p-aminobenzoate); polyethyleneglycol-di(o-aminobenzoate); polyethyleneglycol-di(m-aminobenzoate); polytetramethyleneglycol-di(p-aminobenzoate); polytetramethyleneglycol-di(o-aminobenzoate); polytetramethyleneglycol-di(m-aminobenzoate); polyaspartic amines such as N,N′-diethylmaleate-2-methyl-pentamethylene diamine (commercially available as Desmophen® NH-1220), N,N′-diethylmaleate-amino)-dicyclohexylmethane (commercially available as Desmophen® NH-1420), and N,N′-diethylmaleate-amino)-dimethyl-dicyclohexylmethane (commercially available as Desmophen® NH-1520); aromatic diamines such as 3,5-diethyl-2,4-toluenediamine and 3,5-diethyl-2,6-toluenediamine (commercially available as Ethacure® 100) and 3,5-dimethylthio-2,4-toluenediamine and 3,5-dimethylthio-2,6-toluenediamine (commercially available as Ethacure® 300); 4,4′-bis(sec-butylamino)-dicyclohexylmethane (commercially available as Clearlink® 1000) and monomers thereof; 3,3′-dimethyl-4,4′-bis(sec-butylamino)-dicyclohexylmethane (commercially available as Clearlink® 3000) and monomers thereof; 4,4′-methylene-bis(2-chloroaniline); diethylene triamine; triethylene tetramine; tetraethylene pentamine; methylene dianiline; m-phenylene diamine; diethyltoluene diamine; dimethyl dicykan; and mixtures thereof.

Hydroxy-Terminated Components

Hydroxyl-terminated components are also suitable for use as the isocyanate-reactive component of the present invention. Suitable hydroxyl-terminated components include, but are not limited to, polyether polyols, polycaprolactone polyols, polyester polyols, polycarbonate polyols, hydrocarbon polyols, and mixtures thereof. The hydroxyl-terminated component may be aromatic or aliphatic (saturated). If the hydroxyl-terminated component is not saturated, however, the cured composition preferably includes a light stabilizer.

Suitable polyether polyols for use in the present invention include, but are not limited to, polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMEG); copolymer of polytetramethylene ether glycol and 2-methyl-1,4-butane diol (PTG-L); poly(oxyethylene) glycol; poly(oxypropylene) glycol; ethylene oxide capped (polyoxypropylene) glycol; poly (oxypropylene oxyethylene) glycol; and mixtures thereof.

Suitable polycaprolactone polyols include, but not limited to, diethylene glycol initiated polycaprolactone; propylene glycol initiated polycaprolactone; 1,4-butanediol initiated polycaprolactone; trimethylol propane initiated polycaprolactone; neopentyl glycol initiated polycaprolactone; 1,6-hexanediol initiated polycaprolactone; polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMEG) initiated polycaprolactone; ethylene glycol initiated polycaprolactone; dipropylene glycol initiated polycaprolactone; and mixtures thereof.

Suitable polyester polyols include, but not limited to, polyethylene adipate glycol; polyethylene propylene adipate glycol; polybutylene adipate glycol; polyethylene butylene adipate glycol; polyhexamethylene adipate glycol; polyhexamethylene butylene adipate glycol; ortho-phthalate-1,6-hexanediol polyester polyol; polyethylene terephthalate polyester polyols; and mixtures thereof.

Examples of polycarbonate polyols that may be used with the present invention include, but is not limited to, poly(phthalate carbonate) glycol, poly(hexamethylene carbonate) glycol, polycarbonate polyols containing bisphenol A, and mixtures thereof.

Hydrocarbon polyols include, but not limited to, hydroxy-terminated liquid isoprene rubber (LIR), hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene polyol, hydroxy-terminated polyolefin polyols, hydroxy-terminated hydrocarbon polyols, and mixtures thereof.

Other polyols that may be used according to the invention include, but not limited to, glycerols; castor oil and its derivatives; Polytail H; Polytail HA; Kraton polyols; acrylic polyols; acid functionalized polyols based on a carboxylic, sulfonic, or phosphoric acid group; dimer alcohols converted from the saturated dimerized fatty acid; and mixtures thereof.

By using polyols based on a hydrophobic backbone, the polyurethane compositions of the invention may be more water resistant than those polyurethane compositions having polyols without a hydrophobic backbone. Some non-limiting examples of polyols based on a hydrophobic backbone include hydrocarbon polyols, hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene polyols, polyethers, polycaprolactones, and polyesters.

Silicone-Containing Components

Components containing silicones are also contemplated for use as isocyanate-reactive components according to the present invention. The term silicone as referred to herein denotes a synthetic polymer (R_(n)SiO_((4-n)/2)))_(m), where n ranges from 1 to 3 and m is greater than or equal to 2. A silicone contains a repeating silicon-oxygen backbone and has organic groups R attached to a significant proportion of the silicon atoms by silicon-carbon bonds. In commercially available silicones, most R groups are methyl, longer alkyl, fluoroalkyl, phenyl, and vinyl, however R may also be hydrogen, chlorine, alkoxy, acyloxy, alkylamino, or combinations thereof. Silicone homopolymers, silicone random copolymers, and silicone-organic (block) copolymers, which are generally formed by condensation-type reactions, are contemplated for use in the present invention. In fact, suitable silicones may include linear, branched, and cross-linked structures.

The silicone-containing components also include at least one functional group, i.e., an amine or hydroxyl group to react with at least one isocyanate group or, in the alternative, an epoxy group to react with an amine or hydroxyl group prior to reacting with the isocyanate-donor component. Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate the various methods for adding the necessary functionality to the silicone component if not already included.

One or more siloxane units, i.e.,

may be present in the silicone-containing component. In one embodiment, the siloxane unit is a polysiloxane unit as shown generally below:

wherein each R independently is hydrogen, unsubstituted or substituted alkyl, unsubstituted or substituted cycloalkyl, unsubstituted or substituted aryl, unsubstituted or substituted heteroaryl, unsubstituted or substituted alkoxy, alkylester, amido, amino, cyano, thioalkyl, hydroxyl, halogen, aldehyde, or alkylcarbonyl.

As used herein, the term “substituted or unsubstituted alkyl” means any substituted or unsubstituted acyclic carbon-containing groups. Examples of alkyl groups include lower alkyl groups, i.e., C₁-C₆ alkyl (e.g., methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, pentyl, hexyl, and isomers thereof, including, for example, iso-propyl, iso-propyl, n-butyl, iso-butyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, iso-pentyl, neo-pentyl, and the like); higher alkyl groups, i.e., alkyl groups containing seven or more carbon atoms (e.g., heptyl, octyl, nonyl, decyl, undecyl, dodecyl, and the like); alkenyl (e.g., ethenyl, propenyl, butenyl, pentenyl, hexenyl, heptenyl, octenyl, norbornenyl, nonenyl, decenyl, undecenyl, dodecenyl and the like); and alkynyl (e.g., ethynyl, propynyl, butynyl, pentynyl, hexynyl, heptynyl, octynyl, norbornynyl, nonynyl, decynyl, undecynyl, dodecynyl and the like). One of ordinary skill in the art is familiar with the various configurations of linear and branched alkyl groups, which are within the scope of the present invention.

As used herein, the term “substituted” means groups that also contain various substituents in which one or more hydrogen atoms is replaced by a functional group (e.g., a substituted alkyl group having one or more functional groups) or alkyl group as defined in the above. Functional groups include, but are not limited to, hydroxyl, amino (e.g., R₁R₂N, wherein R₁ and R₂ are each independently hydrogen, alkyl, aryl or cycloalkyl), alkoxy, carboxyl (e.g., ester, acid, and metal derivatives thereof), sulfoxidyl, sulfonyl, sulfonoyl, amido, phosphate, thiol, cyano, nitro, silyl and halogen (e.g., fluoro, chloro, bromo or iodo).

As used herein, “cycloalkyl” means cyclic carbon-containing groups, including, but not limited to cyclic C₃-C₂₀ groups that may have one ring (e.g., cyclopropyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopentyl, cyclohexyl, cycloheptyl), or two or more rings fused at a single carbon atom (spiro rings, e.g., cyclopentanespirocyclobutane, cyclohexanespirocyclopentane) or fused at two or more carbon atoms (e.g., adamantyl, cis or trans decalin) and the like. Such cycloalkyl groups may also contain various substituents in which one or more hydrogen atoms has been replaced by a functional group. Such functional groups include those described above, and alkyl groups having from 1-28 carbon atoms. The cyclic groups of the invention may further include one or more heteroatoms, such as O, S, or N. In addition, such cycloalkyl groups may contain one or more double or triple bonds, e.g., cyclohexenyl or cyclohexynyl, and includes non-aromatic cycloalkyl groups having one or more double bonds, such as cyclopropadienyl, cyclopentadienyl, cycloheptadienyl and the like.

As used herein, “aryl” groups refers to any functional group including a hydrocarbon ring having a system of conjugated double bonds, typically comprising 4n+2Π(pi) ring electrons, where n is an integer. Such aryl groups include substituted and unsubstituted C₆-C₂₄ annulenes, e.g., phenyl, anisyl, toluyl, anilinyl, acetophenonyl, halobenzyl (such as fluorobenzyl, chlorobenzyl, bromobenzyl, 1,2-, 1,3- and 1,4-halobenzyl), xylenyl and the like; polycyclic benzenoid aromatic hydrocarbons, e.g., naphthyl, anthracyl, phenanthranyl, pyrenyl and the like; and nonbenzenoid aromatic compounds, e.g., azulenyl. According to the present invention, aryl also includes heteroaryl or heterocyclic groups containing one or more heteroatoms, such as O, S, or N, e.g., pyrimidine or thiophene, pyridine, pyrrole, furan, and purine. These aryl groups may also be substituted with any number of a variety of functional groups.

For example, suitable silicone-containing components include, but are not limited to, poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS), 1,3-bis(3-aminopropyl)tetramethyl-di-siloxane, 1,4-bis(3-aminopropyldimethylsilyl)benzene, poly(styrene-dimethylsiloxane) diblock polymer (PS-PDMS), tetramethylcyclotetrasiloxane, 1,1,3,3-tetramethyldisiloxane, and mixtures thereof. PDMS has the following general structure:

where x is 1 or greater. In one embodiment, the silicone-containing component includes trimethylsiloxy-terminated polydimethylsiloxanes, which may have varied end groups of silanol, vinyl, or hydride, and may be modified by substitution of methyl groups on the silicon atom by hydrogen, alkyl, phenyl, or organofunctional groups.

An additional example of a silicone-containing component with hydroxyl end groups suitable for use with the present invention is shown in the structure I(a) below:

where x ranges from about 1 to about 10, preferably about 1 to about 5, and more preferably equals 1, y ranges from about 10 to about 200, preferably about 10 to about 50, and more preferably equals 15, and z ranges from about 1 to about 2 and preferably equals 1.

In addition, the silicone unit(s) may be incorporated into a component that has oxirane functionality, also commonly referred to as “epoxy” functionality. As known to those of ordinary skill in the art, the oxirane functionality may be obtained from any suitable compound containing the following structure:

Examples of suitable oxirane functional resins according to the present invention include, but are not limited to, glycidols, such as glycidyl ethers and glycidyl esters, cycloaliphatic epoxy resins, and mixtures thereof. For instance, 1,4-butanediol diglycidyl ether, diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (i.e., 2,2-bis(4-(2,3-epoxypropyloxy)phenyl)propane), cresyl diglycidyl ether, ethylhexyl glycidyl ether; glycidyl glycidate; 2,3-epoxybutyl-3,4-epoxypentanoate; 3,4-epoxy-3,4-epoxyhexyl; 3,4-epoxypentanoate; diglycidyl adipate; diglycidyl isophthalate; di(2,3-epoxybutyl)adipate; di(2,3-epoxybutyl)oxalate; di(2,3-epoxyhexyl)succinate; di(3,4-epoxybutyl)maleate; di(2,3-epoxyoctyl)pimelate; di(2,3-epoxybutyl)phthalate; di(2,3-epoxyoctyl)tetrahydrophthalate; di(4,5-epoxydodecyl)maleate; di(2,3-epoxybutyl)teraphthalate; di(2,3-epoxypentyl)thiodipropionate; di(5,6-epoxytetradecyl)diphenyldicarboxylate; di(3,4-epoxyheptyl)sulfonyldibutyrate; di(5,6-epoxypentadecyl)maleate; di(2,3-epoxybutyl)azelate; di(3,4-epoxybutyl)citrate; di(5,6-epoxyoctyl)cyclohexane-1,3-dicarboxylate; di(4,5-epoxyoctadecyl)malonate; tri(2,3-epoxybutyl)-1,2,4-butanetricarboxylate; epoxidized derivatives of polyethylenically unsaturated polycarboxylic acids; epoxidized polyesters that are the reaction product of an unsaturated polyhydric alcohol and/or an unsaturated polycarboxylic acid or anhydride groups; epoxidized polyethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbons; glycidyl ethers of novolac resins; and mixtures thereof are contemplated for use as the oxirane functionality according to the present invention.

In particular, the oxirane functionality may be achieved through reacting a silicone component with any oxirane functional component, including those discussed above. For example, an epoxy-silicone precursor according to the invention may be formed by reacting a stoichiometric excess of an epoxide with the siloxane generally shown in I(a) above. A non-limiting example resultant structure is shown in structure I(b) below:

where x ranges from about 1 to about 10, preferably about 1 to about 5, and more preferably equals 1, y ranges from about 10 to about 200, preferably about 10 to about 50, and more preferably equals 15, and z ranges from about 1 to about 2 and preferably equals 1. As will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art, the structure above is merely a representation of a potential precursor for use with the present invention. The precursor may be formed from a variety of silicones and oxirane functional resins. Commercially available examples of epoxy-silicone precursors include 2810 from OSI Specialties and SILRES® HP 1000 from Wacker Chemicals Corporation.

Once an epoxy-silicone precursor is formed, the epoxy ring(s) may be reacted with amine-terminated components to form alcohols and amines. A general reaction scheme for an amine-terminated component and a precursor with epoxy functionality is shown below:

where R can be a hydrocarbon, polyether, polyester, polycarbonate, polycaprolactone, or combination thereof. For the purposes of the present invention, this type of isocyanate-reactive component is referred to herein as an amine adduct.

In addition, any hydroxyl-terminated silicone-containing component may be reacted with a hydroxyl-terminated component in the presence of a catalyst to form ether linkages. For the purposes of the present invention, this type of isocyanate-reactive component is referred to herein as an ether adduct. In particular, a hydroxyl-terminated silicone-containing component may be reacted with a hydroxyl-terminated component in the presence of an acid catalyst, which will open up the ether ring into an alcohol so that it can react with a suitable isocyanate-containing component.

Typically, the content of the silicone-containing component is from about 1 weight percent to about 95 weight percent, preferably from about 5 weight percent to about 50 weight percent, more preferably from about 10 weight percent to about 40 weight percent, and most preferably from about 15 weight percent to about 30 weight percent, based on the total copolymer or block copolymer weight. The values of all ranges listed herein are interchangeable to form new ranges. For example, the present invention also encompasses silicone-containing components from about 1 weight percent to about 30 weight percent, from about 5 weight percent to about 15 weight percent, and from about 40 weight percent to about 95 weight percent.

Impact Resistant Polymers and Oligomers

As discussed briefly above and will be discussed in greater detail below, the silicone-modified urethanes and ureas of the present invention are further modified with impact resistant polymers to form polymer alloys. Suitable impact resistant polymers for use with the present invention include, but are not limited to, olefinic polymers selected from the group consisting of ethylene-n-butyl acrylate-glycidyl acrylate, ethylene-n-butyl acrylate-glycidyl methacrylate, maleic anhydride grafted ethylene-butene copolymers, maleic anhydride grafted ethylene-hexene copolymer, maleic anhydride grafted ethylene-octene copolymers, metallocene-based ethylene-butene-maleic anhydride, styrene-ethylene-butene-maleic anhydride, ethylene-n-butyl acrylate-carbon monoxide, acid copolymers, chemically modified ethylene-propylene rubber, EPDM (i.e., ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer) rubber, ABS (i.e., acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene), MBS (i.e., methacrylate-butadiene-styrene), HIPS (i.e., high impact polystyrene), ethylene-vinyl acetate-maleic anhydride, ASA (i.e., acrylate-styrene-acrylonitrile), polyphenylene and polystyrene ethers, polyester-styrene-maleic anhydride, α-methylstyrene-styrene, and blends thereof.

Methods of Forming the Compositions of the Invention

The compositions of the invention may be formed in a variety of ways. For example, a modified silicone urethane or silicone urea may be formed using a one-shot method or through multi-step synthesis using a prepolymer method. While either method may be employed to produce the compositions of the invention, the prepolymer technique may provide better control of chemical reaction and, consequently, result in more uniform properties. Furthermore, the compositions of the invention may be formed through a variety of well known methods including conventional extrusion, injection molding, reaction injection molding, compression molding, casting, or combinations thereof.

The one-shot technique reacts the isocyanate, the hydroxyl-terminated or amine-terminated compound (or combination thereof), the silicone-containing component, and the impact resistant polymer in one step. A variation of this method would include reacting the isocyanate, the hydroxyl-terminated or amine-terminated compound (or combination thereof), and silicone-containing component in one step to form a silicone urethane or silicone urea and then extruding the silicone urethane or silicone urea with the impact resistant polymer to form the polymer alloy.

In contrast, the prepolymer technique requires a first reaction between the hydroxyl-terminated component or amine-terminated component (or combination thereof) and the isocyanate to produce the prepolymer, and a subsequent reaction between the prepolymer and the silicone-containing component of the invention. Alternatively, the silicone-containing component may be incorporated into the amine-terminated component or hydroxyl-terminated component to form an amine adduct or hydroxyl adduct prior to reacting with the isocyanate to form a prepolymer. For example, an amine adduct or hydroxyl adduct (Y), i.e., an amine-terminated silicone-containing component or hydroxyl-terminated silicone-containing component, respectively, is further reacted with an isocyanate in a particular stoichiometric ratio, as shown generally in the reaction scheme below:

where R₁ may be any straight or branched hydrocarbon moiety, acyclic group, cyclic group, heterocyclic group, aromatic group, phenyl group, hydrocarbylene group, or a mixture thereof, and where n ranges from 1 to 50.

Regardless of what type of method is used to form the compositions of the invention, a 1:1 stoichiometric ratio of isocyanate to amine or hydroxyl groups results in a fully cured composition. In the alternative, when a stoichiometric excess of isocyanate exists after formation of the prepolymer, i.e., isocyanate end groups still exist, the prepolymer is then further reacted with a curing agent or allowed to moisture cure. In this aspect of the invention, an additional curing agent may be employed to cure any excess isocyanate remaining after reaction with the silicone-containing component. Suitable curing agents include, but are not limited to, aliphatic, aromatic, or aromatic-aliphatic amine-terminated or hydroxyl-terminated curing agents, or combinations thereof.

For example, an amine curing agent may be used to cure any excess isocyanate. The amine curing agent may be a primary amine, a secondary amine, or a combination thereof. In fact, the curing may be modified to substitute bulky groups onto the benzene ring or nitrogen atom (in the case of an aromatic curing agent) or to include at least one primary amine linkage and at least one secondary amine linkage or at least one tertiary amine linkage (or both). Suitable amine-terminated curing agents that be may used to form a modified curing agent of the invention include, but are not limited to, ethylene diamine; hexamethylene diamine; 1-methyl-2,6-cyclohexyl diamine; 2,2,4- and 2,4,4-trimethyl-1,6-hexanediamine; 4,4′-bis-(sec-butylamino)-dicyclohexylmethane and derivatives thereof; 1,4-bis-(sec-butylamino)-cyclohexane; 1,2-bis-(sec-butylamino)-cyclohexane; 4,4′-dicyclohexylmethane diamine; 1,4-cyclohexane-bis-(methylamine); 1,3-cyclohexane-bis-(methylamine), isomers, and mixtures thereof; diethylene glycol bis-(aminopropyl) ether; 2-methylpentamethylene-diamine; diaminocyclohexane, isomers, and mixtures thereof; diethylene triamine; triethylene tetramine; tetraethylene pentamine; propylene diamine; 1,3-diaminopropane; dimethylamino propylamine; diethylamino propylamine; imido-bis-(propylamine); monoethanolamine, diethanolamine; triethanolamine; monoisopropanolamine, diisopropanolamine; isophoronediamine; 4,4′-methylenebis-(2-chloroaniline); 3,5-dimethylthio-2,4-toluenediamine; 3,5-dimethylthio-2,6-toluenediamine;3,5-diethylthio-2,4-toluenediamine; 3,5-diethylthio-2,6-toluenediamine; 4,4′-bis-(sec-butylamino)-diphenylmethane and derivatives thereof; 1,4-bis-(sec-butylamino)-benzene; 1,2-bis-(sec-butylamino)-benzene; N,N′-dialkylamino-diphenylmethane; trimethyleneglycol-di-p-aminobenzoate; polytetramethyleneoxide-di-p-aminobenzoate; 4,4′-methylenebis-(3-chloro-2,6-diethyleneaniline); 4,4′-methylenebis-(2,6-diethylaniline); meta-phenylenediamine; paraphenylenediamine; N,N′-diisopropyl-isophoronediamine (commercially available from Huntsman Corporation as Jefflink® 754); polyoxypropylene diamine; propylene oxide-based triamine; 3,3′-dimethyl-4,4′-diaminocyclohexylmethane; and mixtures thereof.

In one embodiment, the modified curing agent of the invention is based on an aliphatic amine curing agent in order to confer the greatest degree of light stability. As such, of the list of curing agents above, aliphatic amine-terminated curing agents suitable for modification according to the present invention include, but are not limited to, ethylene diamine; hexamethylene diamine; 1-methyl-2,6-cyclohexyl diamine; 2,2,4- and 2,4,4-trimethyl-1,6-hexanediamine; 4,4′-bis-(sec-butylamino)-dicyclohexylmethane; 1,4-bis-(sec-butylamino)-cyclohexane; 1,2-bis-(sec-butylamino)-cyclohexane; derivatives of 4,4′-bis-(sec-butylamino)-dicyclohexylmethane; 4,4′-dicyclohexylmethane diamine; 1,4-cyclohexane-bis-(methylamine); 1,3-cyclohexane-bis-(methylamine); diethylene glycol bis-(aminopropyl) ether; 2-methylpentamethylene-diamine; diaminocyclohexane; diethylene triamine; triethylene tetramine; tetraethylene pentamine; propylene diamine; dipropylene triamine; 1,3-diaminopropane; dimethylamino propylamine; diethylamino propylamine; imido-bis-(propylamine); monoethanolamine, diethanolamine; triethanolamine; monoisopropanolamine, diisopropanolamine; triisopropanolamine; isophoronediamine; N,N′-diisopropylisophorone diamine and mixtures thereof.

The molecular weight of the modified amine-terminated curing agent is preferably about 64 or greater. In one embodiment, the molecular weight of the amine-curing agent is about 2000 or less. In another embodiment, the amine-terminated curing agent has a molecular weight of about 100 to about 1800. In yet another embodiment, the molecular weight of the amine-terminated curing agent is about 150 to about 1700.

Suitable hydroxy-terminated curing agents include, but are not limited to, ethylene glycol; diethylene glycol; polyethylene glycol; propylene glycol; 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol; 2-methyl-1,4-butanediol; dipropylene glycol; polypropylene glycol; 1,2-butanediol; 1,3-butanediol; 1,4-butanediol; 2,3-butanediol; 2,3-dimethyl-2,3-butanediol; trimethylolpropane; cyclohexyldimethylol; triisopropanolamine; N,N,N′N′-tetra-(2-hydroxypropyl)-ethylene diamine; diethylene glycol bis-(aminopropyl) ether; 1,5-pentanediol; 1,6-hexanediol; 1,3-bis-(2-hydroxyethoxy) cyclohexane; 1,4-cyclohexyldimethylol; 1,3-bis-[2-(2-hydroxyethoxy) ethoxy]cyclohexane; 1,3-bis-{2-[2-(2-hydroxyethoxy) ethoxy]ethoxy}cyclohexane; polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMEG); resorcinol-di-(beta-hydroxyethyl) ether and its derivatives; hydroquinone-di-(beta-hydroxyethyl) ether and its derivatives; 1,3-bis-(2-hydroxyethoxy) benzene; 1,3-bis-[2-(2-hydroxyethoxy) ethoxy]benzene; 1,3-bis-{2-[2-(2-hydroxyethoxy) ethoxy]ethoxy}benzene; N,N-bis(β-hydroxypropyl) aniline; 2-propanol-1,1′-phenylaminobis; and mixtures thereof.

The hydroxy-terminated curing agent may have a molecular weight of at least about 50. In one embodiment, the molecular weight of the hydroxy-terminated curing agent is about 2000 or less. In yet another embodiment, the hydroxy-terminated curing agent has a molecular weight of about 250 to about 3900. For example, in one embodiment, the hydroxyl-terminated curing agent is PTMEG, which has a molecular weight of about 250 to about 3900. It should be understood that molecular weight, as used herein, is the absolute weight average molecular weight and would be understood as such by one of ordinary skill in the art.

To further improve the shear resistance of the resultant composition, trifunctional curing agents may also be used to help improve crosslinking. In such cases, a triol, such as trimethylolpropane, or a tetraol, such as N,N,N′,N′-tetrakis (2-hydroxylpropyl) ethylenediamine, may be added to the modified curing agent of the invention. Useful triamine curing agents for improving the crosslinking of polyurethane and polyurea elastomers include, but are not limited to: propylene oxide-based triamines; trimethylolpropane-based triamines; glycerin-based triamines; N,N-bis{2-[(aminocarbonyl) amino]ethyl}-urea; N,N′,N″-tris(2-aminoethyl)-methanetriamine; N1-(5-aminopentyl)-1,2,6-hexanetriamine; 1,1,2-ethanetriamine; N,N′,N″-tris(3-aminopropyl)-methanetriamine; N1-(2-aminoethyl)-1,2,6-hexanetriamine; N1-(10-aminodecyl)-1,2,6-hexanetriamine; 1,9,18-octadecanetriamine; 4,10,16,22-tetraazapentacosane-1,13,25-triamine; N1-{3-[[4-[(3-aminopropyl) amino]butyl]amino]propyl}-1,2,6-hexanetriamine; di-9-octadecenyl-(Z,Z)-1,2,3-propanetriamine; 1,4,8-octanetriamine; 1,5,9-nonanetriamine; 1,9,10-octadecanetriamine; 1,4,7-heptanetriamine; 1,5,10-decanetriamine; 1,8,17-heptadecanetriamine; 1,2,4-butanetriamine; propanetriamine; 1,3,5-pentanetriamine; N1-{3-[[4-[(3-aminopropyl) amino]butyl]amino]propyl}-1,2,6-hexanetriamine; N1-{4-[(3-aminopropyl) amino]butyl}-1,2,6-hexanetriamine; 2,5-dimethyl-1,4,7-heptanetriamine; N1-(6-aminohexyl)-1,2,6-hexanetriamine; 6-ethyl-3,9-dimethyl-3,6,9-undecanetriamine; 1,5,11-undecanetriamine; 1,6,11-undecanetriamine; N,N-bis(aminomethyl)-methanediamine; N,N-bis(2-aminoethyl)-1,3-propanediamine; methanetriamine; N1-(2-aminoethyl)-N2-(3-aminopropyl)-1,2,5-pentanetriamine; N1-(2-aminoethyl)-1,2,6-hexanetriamine; 2,6,11-trimethyl-2,6,11-dodecanetriamine; 1,1,3-propanetriamine; 6-(aminomethyl)-1,4,9-nonanetriamine; 1,2,6-hexanetriamine; N2-(2-aminoethyl)-1,1,2-ethanetriamine; 1,3,6-hexanetriamine; N,N-bis(2-aminoethyl)-1,2-ethanediamine; 3-(aminomethyl)-1,2,4-butanetriamine; 1,1,1-ethanetriamine; N1,N1-bis(2-aminoethyl)1,2-propanediamine; 1,2,3-propanetriamine; 2-methyl-1,2,3-propanetriamine; and mixtures thereof.

Regardless of the method used to form the compositions of the invention, the type of components used to form the composition determine whether the prepolymer or any intermediates or the cured composition can be considered polyurea, polyurethane, or a hybrid. For example, if the stoichiometric ratio of isocyanate-donor component to isocyanate-reactive component(s) is 1:1 and the isocyanate-reactive component(s) contains only amine groups, the composition contains only urea linkages and can be considered pure polyurea for the purposes of the present invention. On the other hand, if the stoichiometric ratio of isocyanate-donor component to isocyanate-reactive component(s) is 1:1 and the isocyanate-reactive component(s) contains only hydroxyl groups, the composition contains only urethane linkages and can be considered pure polyurethane for the purposes of the present invention.

Alternatively, when a stoichiometric excess of isocyanate exists after reacting with an amine-terminated isocyanate-reactive component, the functional groups on any remaining isocyanate-reactive components that are reacted with the prepolymer will determine whether the composition includes only urea linkages, only urethane linkages, or a combination thereof. For example, if the prepolymer is the reaction product of an isocyanate and an amine-terminated silicone-containing component and a stoichiometric excess of isocyanate exists, reaction with a hydroxyl-terminated curing agent will result in a hybrid silicone polyurea-polyurethane composition containing both urea and urethane linkages. Alternatively, if the prepolymer is the reaction product of an isocyanate and a hydroxyl-terminated component, and further reacted with a hydroxyl-terminated silicone-containing component, a pure silicone polyurethane will result as the composition contains no urea linkages, only urethane linkages.

Thus, for the purposes of the invention, a pure silicone urea composition contains only the following representative urea linkages:

In contrast, a pure silicone urethane composition contains only the following representative urethane linkages:

Finally, a hybrid silicone urethane composition or urea composition contains both urethane and urea linkages:

The reactants may be combined at any suitable temperature that allows the reaction to proceed. For example, the temperature may range from about 32° F. to about 180° F. In one embodiment, the reaction temperature is about 75° F. to about 170° F. In another embodiment, the reaction occurs at a temperature of about 75° F. to about 150° F. The impact resistant polymer may be added at the prepolymer stage or after forming the prepolymer, i.e., when the silicone-containing component is added (if added after prepolymer formation) or when the prepolymer is cured or after all isocyanate groups are reacted.

Commerically available examples of silicone urethanes include PurSil™ silicone-polyether-urethane, CarboSil™ silicone-polycarbonate-urethane, and Hydrosil™ silicone-polyethylene oxide urethane. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,863,627 and 5,530,083, issued to Ward, which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety, describe in great detail how the commercially available products PurSil™, CarboSil™, and Hydrosil™ are processed. In particular, these high-strength thermoplastic elastomers are prepared through a multi-step bulk synthesis where polydimethylsiloxane (PSX) is incorporated into the polymer soft segment with polytetramethyleneoxide (PTMO) (PurSil) or an aliphatic, hydroxyl-terminated polycarbonate (CarboSil). The silicone content may range from less than 0.1 percent up to the total soft-segment content of the polymer, which can be from 20 to 65 percent depending on copolymer hardness. The hard segment consists of an aromatic isocyanate (4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate-butanediol (MDI)) with a low molecular weight glycol chain extender (butanediol). The hard segment may also be synthesized from an aliphatic diisocyanate. The copolymer chains are then terminated with silicone (or other suitable Surface-Modifying End Group (SMEs) such as hydrocarbons, fluorocarbons, fluorinated polyethers, polyalkylene oxides, various sulphonated groups, and combinations thereof). SMEs are surface-active oligomers covalently bonded to the base polymer during synthesis.

Material properties for compositions of PurSil™ and CarboSil™ are disclosed in the following tables:

TABLE 1 PURSIL ™ (FROM AROMATIC URETHANE) Comparative Example #1 #2 #3 #4 PurSil ™ 0% Si 10% Si 20% Si 40% Si 60% Si Hard Segment MDI-BD MDI-BD MDI-BD MDI-BD MDI-BD Organic Soft Segment PTMO PTMO PTMO PTMO None* Properties Tensile Strength 5700 6515 5710 3930 2275 (psi) Ultimate Elongation 815 760 665 580 410 (%) Initial Modulus (psi) 2785 2880 2930 3510 4920 Note: The percent silicone is amount added to PTMO soft segment. *PurSil ™ 60 has 60% of silicone as the total soft segment.

In Table 2, the hard segment synthesis incorporates an aliphatic urethane HDMI-BD (dicyclohexylmethane 4,4′-diisocyanate) and the low molecular weight glycol extender BD.

TABLE 2 PURSIL ™ (FROM ALIPHATIC URETHANE) Comparative Example #1 #2 PurSil ™ 0% Si 5% Si 10% Si Hard Segment HMDI-BD HMDI-BD HMDI-BD Organic Soft Segment PTMO PTMO PTMO Properties Tensile Strength 5570 6225 6255 (psi) Ultimate Elongation 715 810 835 (%) Initial Modulus (psi) 1240 465 370 Note: Percent silicone is amount added to PTMO soft segment.

In Table 3, the synthesis process is carried out wherein a hydroxyl-terminated polycarbonate (PC) is substituted in the soft segment for the PSX and PTMO. This is the CarboSil™ product, which along with PurSil™ can be fabricated by conventional extrusion, injection molding or compression molding techniques.

TABLE 3 CARBOSIL ™ Comparative Example #1 #2 #3 CarboSil ™ 0% Si 10% Si 20% Si 40% Si Hard Segment MDI-BD MDI-BD MDI-BD MDI-BD Organic Soft Segment PC PC PC PC Properties Tensile Strength (psi) 7270 7140 5720 3250 Ultimate Elongation (%) 580 500 480 305 Initial Modulus (psi) 1170 6260 4125 6402

The above materials are heat-sealable, readily blended with fillers, and easily post-formed. Melt processing conditions are similar to conventional thermoplastic polyurethanes. Since polyurethanes are generally hydrophilic materials, pellets should be dried in a desiccant-bed-type dehumidifying hopper dryer prior to processing. The final moisture content should be less than 0.01%. As discussed above, the impact resistant polymer may be added at any stage of the process.

Composition Additives

Additional materials conventionally included in polyurethane-based and polyurea-based compositions may be added to the compositions of the invention in any of the steps discussed above. For example, as known to those of ordinary skill in the art, polymer alloys generally contain several dissimilar polymer ingredients, i.e., compounds that ordinarily will not mix. As such, the compositions of the invention may benefit from the use of a compatibilizer to facilitate blending of two incompatible polymers without sacrificing the desired properties of each base polymer. Suitable examples of compatibilizers include, but are not limited to, maleic anhydride grafted ethylene-octene copolymer, a copolymer of ethylene, alkyl acrylate or methacrylate, glycidyl acrylate, glycidyl methacrylate, and mixtures thereof.

In addition, catalysts may be used to promote the reaction between the prepolymer and the curing agent or, in the alternative, between the silicone-containing component and a hydroxyl-terminated component. Suitable catalysts include, but are not limited to bismuth catalyst; zinc octoate; stannous octoate; tin catalysts such as di-butyltin dilaurate (DABCO® T-12 manufactured by Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.), di-butyltin diacetate (DABCO® T-1); stannous octoate (DABCO® T-9); tin (II) chloride, tin (IV) chloride, di-butyltin dimethoxide (FASCAT®-4211), dimethyl-bis[1-oxonedecyl)oxy]stannane (FORMEZ® UL-28), di-n-octyltin bis-isooctyl mercaptoacetate (FORMEZ® UL-29); amine catalysts such as triethylenediamine (DABCO® 33-LV), triethylamine, and tributylamine; organic acids such as oleic acid and acetic acid; delayed catalysts such as POLYCAT™ SA-1, POLYCAT™ SA-2, POLYCAT™ SA-3, and the like; and mixtures thereof. In one embodiment, the catalyst is di-butyltin dilaurate.

If used, the catalyst is preferably added in an amount sufficient to catalyze the reaction of the components in the reactive mixture. In one embodiment, the catalyst is present in an amount from about 0.001 percent to about 5 percent by weight of the composition. For example, when using a tin catalyst, such as di-butyltin dilaurate, the catalyst is preferably present in an amount from about 0.005 percent to about 1 percent. In another embodiment, the catalyst is present in an amount of about 0.05 weight percent or greater. In another embodiment, the catalyst is present in an amount of about 0.5 weight percent or greater.

Use of low levels of tin catalysts, typically from about 0 to about 0.04 weight percent of the total composition, requires high temperatures to achieve a suitable reaction rate, which may result in degradation of the prepolymer. Increasing the amount of catalysts to unconventional high levels enables the reduction in process temperatures while retaining comparable cure stages. Use of the higher catalyst level also allows the mixing speeds to be reduced. Thus, in one embodiment, the tin catalyst is present in an amount from about 0.01 percent to about 0.55 percent by weight of the composition. In another embodiment, about 0.05 percent to about 0.4 percent of tin catalyst is present in the composition. In yet another embodiment, the tin catalyst is present in an amount from about 0.1 percent to about 0.25 percent.

In addition, wetting agents, coloring agents, optical brighteners, crosslinking agents, whitening agents such as TiO₂ and ZnO, UV absorbers, hindered amine light stabilizers, defoaming agents, processing aids, surfactants, and other conventional additives may be included in the compositions of the invention. For example, wetting additives may be added to the modified curative blends of the invention to more effectively disperse the pigment(s). Suitable wetting agents are available from Byk-Chemle and Crompton Corporation, among others.

Antioxidants, stabilizers, softening agents, plasticizers, including internal and external plasticizers such as caprolactone or caprolactam, impact modifiers, foaming agents, density-adjusting fillers, and reinforcing materials may also be added to any composition of the invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art are aware of the purpose of these additives and the amounts that should be employed to fulfill those purposes.

For example, fillers may be added to the polyurethane and polyurea compositions of the invention to affect rheological and mixing properties, the specific gravity (i.e., density-modifying fillers), the modulus, the tear strength, reinforcement, and the like. The fillers are generally inorganic, and suitable fillers include numerous metals, metal oxides and salts, such as zinc oxide and tin oxide, as well as barium sulfate, zinc sulfate, calcium carbonate, zinc carbonate, barium carbonate, clay, tungsten, tungsten carbide, an array of silicas, regrind (recycled core material typically ground to about 30 mesh particle), high-Mooney-viscosity rubber regrind, and mixtures thereof.

As such, the compositions of the invention can be reinforced by blending with a wide range of density-adjusting fillers, e.g., ceramics, glass spheres (solid or hollow, and filled or unfilled), and fibers, inorganic particles, and metal particles, such as metal flakes, metallic powders, oxides, and derivatives thereof, as is known to those with skill in the art. The selection of such filler(s) is dependent upon the type of golf ball desired, i.e., one-piece, two-piece, multi-component, or wound, as will be more fully detailed below. Generally, the filler will be inorganic, having a density of greater than 4 g/cc, and will be present in amounts between about and about 65 weight percent based on the total weight of the polymer components included in the layer(s) in question. Examples of useful fillers include zinc oxide, barium sulfate, calcium oxide, calcium carbonate, and silica, as well as other known corresponding salts and oxides thereof.

Fillers may also be used to modify the weight of the core or at least one additional layer for specialty balls, e.g., a lower weight ball is preferred for a player having a low swing speed.

The compositions of the invention may be foamed by the addition of the at least one physical or chemical blowing or foaming agent or water. The use of a foamed polymer allows the golf ball designer to adjust the density or mass distribution of the ball to adjust the angular moment of inertia, and, thus, the spin rate and performance of the ball. Foamed materials also offer a potential cost savings due to the reduced use of polymeric material.

Blowing or foaming agents useful include, but are not limited to, organic blowing agents, such as azobisformamide; azobisisobutyronitrile; diazoaminobenzene; N,N-dimethyl-N,N-dinitroso terephthalamide; N,N-dinitrosopentamethylene-tetramine; benzenesulfonyl-hydrazide; benzene-1,3-disulfonyl hydrazide; diphenylsulfon-3-3, disulfonyl hydrazide; 4,4′-oxybis benzene sulfonyl hydrazide; p-toluene sulfonyl semicarbizide; barium azodicarboxylate; butylamine nitrile; nitroureas; trihydrazino triazine; phenyl-methyl-uranthan; p-sulfonhydrazide; peroxides; and inorganic blowing agents such as ammonium bicarbonate and sodium bicarbonate. A gas, such as air, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, etc., can also be injected into the composition during the injection molding process.

Additionally, a foamed composition of the present invention may be formed by blending microspheres with the composition either during or before the molding process. Polymeric, ceramic, metal, and glass microspheres are useful in the invention, and may be solid or hollow and filled or unfilled. In particular, microspheres up to about 1000 micrometers in diameter are useful. Furthermore, the use of liquid nitrogen for foaming, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,386,992, which is incorporated by reference herein, may produce highly uniform foamed compositions for use in the present invention.

Either injection molding or compression molding may be used to form a layer including a foamed polymeric material. For example, a composition of the present invention can be thermoformed and, thus, can be compression molded. For compression molded grafted metallocene catalyzed polymer blend layers, half-shells may be made by injection molding a grafted metallocene catalyzed polymer blend in a conventional half-shell mold or by compression molding sheets of foamed grafted metallocene catalyzed polymer. The half-shells are placed about a previously formed center or core, cover, or mantle layer, and the assembly is introduced into a compression molding machine, and compression molded at about 250° F. to 400° F. The molded balls are then cooled while still in the mold, and finally removed when the layer of grafted metallocene catalyzed polymer blend is hard enough to be handled without deforming. Additional core, mantle, and cover layers are then molded onto the previously molded layers, as needed, until a complete ball is formed.

The compositions of the invention may include both saturated and unsaturated components. And, while the use of only saturated components aids in avoiding the yellowing over time that occurs with unsaturated components, the use of various UV absorbers and light stabilizers to any of the above compositions may help to also maintain the tensile strength, elongation, and color stability. The use of light stabilizing components also may assist in preventing cover surface fractures due to photodegredation.

As such, the compositions of the invention may contain at least one light stabilizing component to prevent significant yellowing from unsaturated components contained therein. The use of a light stabilizer is preferred, for instance, for compositions having a difference in yellowness (ΔY) of about 15 or greater, but also may be added to compositions having a difference in yellowness of from about 12 to about 15. As used herein, light stabilizer may be understood to include hindered amine light stabilizers, ultraviolet (UV) absorbers, and antioxidants.

Suitable light stabilizers include, but are not limited to, TINUVIN® 292, TINUVIN® 328, TINUVIN® 213, TINUVIN® 765, TINUVIN® 770 and TINUVIN® 622. TINUVIN® products are available from Ciba Specialty Chemicals of Tarrytown, N.Y. In one embodiment, the light stabilizer is UV absorber TINUVIN® 328, which is useful with aromatic compounds. In another embodiment, hindered amine light stabilizer TINUVIN® 765 is used with aromatic or aliphatic compounds. In addition, TINUVIN® 292 may also be used with the aromatic or aliphatic compositions of the invention.

As discussed above, dyes, as well as optical brighteners and fluorescent pigments may also be included in the golf ball covers produced with polymers formed according to the present invention. Such additional ingredients may be added in any amounts that will achieve their desired purpose.

Composition Blends

The compositions of the invention preferably include from about 1 percent to about 100 percent of the modified silicone urethanes or ureas of the invention, however, the compositions may also be blended with other materials. In one embodiment, the composition contains about 10 percent to about 90 percent of the modified silicone urethane or urea, preferably from about 10 percent to about 75 percent, and contains about 90 percent to 10 percent, more preferably from about 90 percent to about 25 percent other polymers and/or other materials as described below. Unless otherwise stated herein, all percentages are given in percent by weight of the total composition of the golf ball layer in question.

Other polymeric materials suitable for blending with the compositions of the invention include castable thermoplastics, cationic and anionic urethane ionomers and urethane epoxies, polyurethane ionomers, polyurea ionomers, epoxy resins, polyethylenes, polyamides and polyesters, polycarbonates, polyacrylin, siloxanes and epoxy resins or their blends, and mixtures thereof. One of ordinary skill in the art would be well aware of methods to blend the polymeric materials with the composition of the invention.

Examples of suitable urethane ionomers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,692,974, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Other examples of suitable polyurethanes are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,673, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. Examples of suitable polyureas used to form the polyurea ionomer listed above are discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,870. In particular, the polyureas of U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,870 are prepared by reacting a polyisocyanate and a polyamine curing agent to yield polyurea, which are distinct from the polyureas of the present invention which are formed from a polyurea prepolymer and curing agent. Examples of suitable polyurethanes cured with epoxy group containing curing agents are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,908,358. The disclosures of the above patents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

The modified silicone urea and urethanes of the invention may also be in the form of a blend with at least one highly neutralized polymer. For example, a prepolymer can be chain extended with a curing agent and then blended with a highly neutralized polymer, as well as rosin-modified ionomers and bi-modal ionomers, as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. Nos. 11/130,243 and 11/135,288 (in addition to the impact resistant polymer). Suitable highly neutralized polymers include, but are not limited to, polymers containing α,β-unsaturated carboxylic acid groups, or the salts thereof, that have been highly neutralized by organic fatty acids. The organic acids are aliphatic, mono-functional (saturated, unsaturated, or multi-unsaturated) organic acids. Salts of these organic acids may also be employed. The salts of organic acids of the present invention include the salts of barium, lithium, sodium, zinc, bismuth, chromium, cobalt, copper, potassium, strontium, titanium, tungsten, magnesium, cesium, iron, nickel, silver, aluminum, tin, or calcium, salts of fatty acids, particularly stearic, behenic, erucic, oleic, linoleic, or dimerized derivatives thereof. It is preferred that the organic acids and salts of the present invention be relatively non-migratory (they do not bloom to the surface of the polymer under ambient temperatures) and non-volatile (they do not volatilize at temperatures required for melt-blending). The acid moieties of the highly-neutralized polymers (“HNP”), typically ethylene-based ionomers, are preferably neutralized greater than about 70 percent, more preferably greater than about 90 percent, and most preferably at least about 100 percent.

Golf Ball Construction

The compositions of the present invention may be used with any type of ball construction including, but not limited to, one-piece, two-piece, three-piece, and four-piece designs, a double core, a double cover, an intermediate layer(s), a multilayer core, and/or a multi-layer cover depending on the type of performance desired of the ball. That is, the compositions of the invention may be used in a core, intermediate layer, and/or cover of a golf ball, each of which may have a single layer or multiple layers. As used herein, the term “multilayer” means at least two layers.

Non-limiting examples of suitable types of ball constructions that may be used with the present invention include those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,056,842, 5,688,191, 5,713,801, 5,803,831, 5,885,172, 5,919,100, 5,965,669, 5,981,654, 5,981,658, and 6,149,535, as well as in Publication Nos. US2001/0009310 A1, US2002/0025862, and US2002/0028885. The entire disclosures of these patents and published patent applications are incorporated by reference herein.

Golf Ball Core Layer(s)

The cores of the golf balls formed according to the invention may be solid, semi-solid, hollow, fluid-filled or powder-filled, one-piece or multi-component cores. As mentioned above, the core may be formed including the compositions of the invention. In the alternative, the core may be formed from any conventional core material known to one of ordinary skill in that art. For example, thermoset materials, such as rubber, styrene butadiene, polybutadiene, isoprene, polyisoprene, trans-isoprene, as well as thermoplastics such as ionomer resins, polyamides or polyesters, and thermoplastic and thermoset polyurethane elastomers may be used to form the core.

In one embodiment, the golf ball core is formed from a composition including a base rubber (natural, synthetic, or a combination thereof), a crosslinking agent, and a filler. In another embodiment, the golf ball core is formed from a reaction product that includes a cis-to-trans catalyst, a resilient polymer component having polybutadiene, a free radical source, and optionally, a crosslinking agent, a filler, or both. Various combinations of polymers, cis-to-trans catalysts, fillers, crosslinkers, and a source of free radicals, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,998,445, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein, may be used to form the reaction product.

As used herein, the terms core and center are generally used interchangeably to reference the innermost component of the ball. In some embodiments, however, the term “center” is used when there are multiple core layers, i.e., a center and an outer core layer.

Golf Ball Intermediate Layer(s)

When the golf ball of the present invention includes an intermediate layer, such as an inner cover layer or outer core layer, i.e., any layer(s) disposed between the inner core and the outer cover of a golf ball, this layer can include any materials known to those of ordinary skill in the art including thermoplastic and thermosetting materials. In one embodiment, the intermediate layer is formed, at least in part, from the composition of the invention.

The intermediate layer(s) may also likewise include one or more homopolymeric or copolymeric thermoset and thermoplastic materials, such as vinyl resins, polyolefins, polyurethanes, polyureas, polyamides, acrylic resins and blends of these resins with polyvinyl chloride, elastomers, and the like, olefinic thermoplastic rubbers, block copolymers of styrene and butadiene, isoprene or ethylene-butylene rubber, copoly(ether-amide), polyphenylene oxide resins or blends of polyphenylene oxide with high impact polystyrene, polyesters, and mixtures thereof.

In one embodiment, the intermediate layer includes polymers, such as ethylene, propylene, butene-1 or hexene-1 based homopolymers or copolymers including functional monomers, such as acrylic and methacrylic acid and fully or partially neutralized ionomer resins and their blends, methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate homopolymers and copolymers, imidized, amino group containing polymers, polycarbonate, reinforced polyamides, polyphenylene oxide, high impact polystyrene, polyether ketone, polysulfone, poly(phenylene sulfide), acrylonitrile-butadiene, acrylic-styrene-acrylonitrile, poly(ethylene terephthalate), poly(butylene terephthalate), poly(ethylene vinyl alcohol), poly(tetrafluoroethylene) and their copolymers including functional comonomers, and blends thereof.

For example, the intermediate layer may be formed of low acid ionomers, such as those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,506,130 and 6,503,156, high acid ionomers, highly neutralized polymers, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,565,455 and 6,565,456, or mixtures thereof. The intermediate layer may also be formed from the compositions as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,688,191. The entire disclosures of these patents and publications are incorporated herein by express reference thereto.

In another embodiment, the intermediate layer includes at least one primarily or fully non-ionomeric thermoplastic material. Suitable non-ionomeric materials include polyamides and polyamide blends, grafted and non-grafted metallocene catalyzed polyolefins or polyamides, polyamide/ionomer blends, polyamide/nonionomer blends, polyphenylene ether/ionomer blends, and mixtures thereof. Examples of grafted and non-grafted metallocene catalyzed polyolefins or polyamides, polyamide/ionomer blends, polyamide/nonionomer blends are disclosed in co-pending U.S. Patent Publication No. 2003/0078348, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein. Another example of a polyamide-nonionomer blend is a polyamide and non-ionic polymers produced using non-metallocene single-site catalysts. Examples of suitable single-site catalyzed polymers are disclosed in co-pending U.S. Pat. No. 6,476,130, of which the entire disclosure is incorporated by reference herein.

Golf Ball Cover(s)

The cover layer may be formed, at least in part, from at least one of the compositions of the invention. When the compositions of the invention are incorporated into a core or intermediate/inner cover layer, the cover layer may also be formed from a composition of the invention or, the cover layer may be formed from one or more of the homopolymeric or copolymeric materials discussed in the section above pertaining to the intermediate layer. The cover may also be at least partially formed from the polybutadiene reaction product discussed above with respect to the core.

Methods of Forming Layers

The golf balls of the invention may be formed using a variety of application techniques such as compression molding, flip molding, injection molding, retractable pin injection molding, reaction injection molding (RIM), liquid injection molding (LIM), casting, vacuum forming, powder coating, flow coating, spin coating, dipping, spraying, and the like. Conventionally, compression molding and injection molding are applied to thermoplastic materials, whereas RIM, liquid injection molding, and casting are employed on thermoset materials. These and other manufacture methods are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,207,784 and 5,484,870, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

When the compositions of the invention are incorporated into a cover layer, for example, the polyurea-based and polyurethane-based materials of the invention may be applied over the inner ball using a variety of application techniques such as spraying, compression molding, dipping, spin coating, casting, or flow coating methods that are well known in the art. In one embodiment, the compositions of the invention are formed over an inner ball using a combination of casting and compression molding.

The cores of the invention may be formed by any suitable method known to those of ordinary skill in art. When the cores are formed from a thermoset material, compression molding is a particularly suitable method of forming the core. In a thermoplastic core embodiment, on the other hand, the cores may be injection molded. Furthermore, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,180,040 and 6,180,722 disclose methods of preparing dual core golf balls. The disclosures of these patents are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

The intermediate layer may also be formed from using any suitable method known to those of ordinary skill in the art. For example, an intermediate layer may be formed by blow molding and covered with a dimpled cover layer formed by injection molding, compression molding, casting, vacuum forming, powder coating, and the like.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,733,428, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference, discloses a method for forming a polyurethane-based cover on a golf ball core. Because this method relates to the use of both casting thermosetting and thermoplastic material as the golf ball cover, wherein the cover is formed around the core by mixing and introducing the material in mold halves, the polyurea-based compositions may also be used employing the same casting process.

Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 5,006,297 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,334,673 both also disclose suitable molding techniques that may be utilized to apply the polyurea-based and polyurethane-based compositions of the invention. However, the method of the invention is not limited to the use of these techniques; other methods known to those skilled in the art may also be employed. For instance, other methods for holding the ball core may be utilized instead of using a partial vacuum.

Golf Ball Post-Processing

The golf balls of the present invention may be painted, coated, or surface treated for further benefits. In addition, trademarks or other indicia may be stamped, i.e., pad-printed, on the outer surface of the ball cover, and the stamped outer surface may then be treated with at least one clear coat to give the ball a glossy finish and protect the indicia stamped on the cover. Furthermore, the golf balls of the invention may be subjected to dye sublimation, wherein at least one golf ball component is subjected to at least one sublimating ink that migrates at a depth into the outer surface and forms an indicia, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,935,240, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.

Golf Ball Properties

The properties such as hardness, modulus, core diameter, intermediate layer thickness and cover layer thickness of the golf balls of the present invention have been found to effect play characteristics such as spin, initial velocity and feel of the present golf balls. For example, the flexural and/or tensile modulus of the intermediate layer are believed to have an effect on the “feel” of the golf balls of the present invention. It should be understood that the ranges herein are meant to be intermixed with each other, i.e., the low end of one range may be combined with a high end of another range.

Component Dimensions

Dimensions of golf ball components, i.e., thickness and diameter, may vary depending on the desired properties. For the purposes of the invention, any layer thickness may be employed. Non-limiting examples of the various embodiments outlined above are provided here with respect to layer dimensions.

The present invention relates to golf balls of any size. While USGA specifications limit the size of a competition golf ball to more than 1.68 inches in diameter, golf balls of any size can be used for leisure golf play. The preferred diameter of the golf balls is from about 1.68 inches to about 1.8 inches. The more preferred diameter is from about 1.68 inches to about 1.76 inches. A diameter of from about 1.68 inches to about 1.74 inches is most preferred, however diameters anywhere in the range of from 1.7 to about 1.95 inches can be used. Preferably, the overall diameter of the core and all intermediate layers is about 80 percent to about 98 percent of the overall diameter of the finished ball.

The core, which may include more than one layer, may have a diameter ranging from about 0.09 inches to about 1.65 inches. In one embodiment, the diameter of the core of the present invention is about 1.2 inches to about 1.630 inches. In another embodiment, the core has a diameter of about 1.55 inches to about 1.65 inches. For example, in one embodiment, the core has a diameter of 1.5 inches to 1.62 inches.

The cover typically has a thickness to provide sufficient strength, good performance characteristics, and durability. In one embodiment, the cover thickness is from about 0.02 inches to about 0.35 inches. The cover preferably has a thickness of about 0.02 inches to about 0.12 inches, preferably about 0.1 inches or less. When the compositions of the invention are used to form the outer cover of a golf ball, the cover may have a thickness of about 0.05 inches or less, preferably from about 0.02 inches to about 0.05 inches, more preferably abut 0.02 inches and about 0.035 inches.

The range of thicknesses for an intermediate layer of a golf ball is large because of the vast possibilities when using an intermediate layer, i.e., as an outer core layer, an inner cover layer, a wound layer, a moisture/vapor barrier layer. When used in a golf ball of the invention, the intermediate layer, or inner cover layer, may have a thickness about 0.3 inches or less. In one embodiment, the thickness of the intermediate layer is from about 0.002 inches to about 0.1 inches, preferably about 0.01 inches or greater, and more preferably 0.02 inches to 0.1 inches. In one embodiment, the thickness of the intermediate layer is about 0.09 inches or less, preferably about 0.06 inches or less. In another embodiment, the intermediate layer thickness is about 0.05 inches or less, more preferably about 0.01 inches to about 0.045 inches. In one embodiment, the intermediate layer, thickness is about 0.02 inches to about 0.04 inches. In another embodiment, the intermediate layer thickness is from about 0.025 inches to about 0.035 inches. In yet another embodiment, the thickness of the intermediate layer is about 0.035 inches thick. In still another embodiment, the inner cover layer is from about 0.03 inches to about 0.035 inches thick. Varying combinations of these ranges of thickness for the intermediate and outer cover layers may be used in combination with other embodiments described herein.

The ratio of the thickness of the intermediate layer to the outer cover layer is preferably about 10 or less, preferably from about 3 or less. In another embodiment, the ratio of the thickness of the intermediate layer to the outer cover layer is about 1 or less. The core and intermediate layer(s) together form an inner ball preferably having a diameter of about 1.48 inches or greater for a 1.68-inch ball. In one embodiment, the inner ball of a 1.68-inch ball has a diameter of about 1.52 inches or greater. In another embodiment, the inner ball of a 1.68-inch ball has a diameter of about 1.66 inches or less. In yet another embodiment, a 1.72-inch (or more) ball has an inner ball diameter of about 1.50 inches or greater. In still another embodiment, the diameter of the inner ball for a 1.72-inch ball is about 1.70 inches or less.

Hardness

Most golf balls consist of layers having different hardnesses, e.g., hardness gradients, to achieve desired performance characteristics. The present invention contemplates golf balls having hardness gradients between layers, as well as those golf balls with layers having the same hardness.

It should be understood, especially to one of ordinary skill in the art, that there is a fundamental difference between “material hardness” and “hardness, as measured directly on a golf ball.” Material hardness is defined by the procedure set forth in ASTM-D2240 and generally involves measuring the hardness of a flat “slab” or “button” formed of the material of which the hardness is to be measured. Hardness, when measured directly on a golf ball (or other spherical surface) is a completely different measurement and, therefore, results in a different hardness value. This difference results from a number of factors including, but not limited to, ball construction (i.e., core type, number of core and/or cover layers, etc.), ball (or sphere) diameter, and the material composition of adjacent layers. It should also be understood that the two measurement techniques are not linearly related and, therefore, one hardness value cannot easily be correlated to the other. Also, as known to those of ordinary skill in the art, test results of physical and electrical properties of materials may be influenced by temperature and relative humidity. As such, ASTM-D618, Procedure A is used to standardize the humidity conditions, as well as the temperature, to which the materials are subjected prior to and during testing.

The cores of the present invention may have varying hardnesses depending on the particular golf ball construction. In one embodiment, the core hardness is at least about 15 Shore A, preferably about 30 Shore A, as measured on a formed sphere. In another embodiment, the core has a hardness of about 50 Shore A to about 90 Shore D. In yet another embodiment, the hardness of the core is about 80 Shore D or less. Preferably, the core has a hardness about 30 to about 65 Shore D, and more preferably, the core has a hardness about 35 to about 60 Shore D.

The intermediate layer(s) of the present invention may also vary in hardness depending on the specific construction of the ball. In one embodiment, the hardness of the intermediate layer is about 30 Shore D or greater. In another embodiment, the hardness of the intermediate layer is about 90 Shore D or less, preferably about 80 Shore D or less, and more preferably about 70 Shore D or less. In yet another embodiment, the hardness of the intermediate layer is about 50 Shore D or greater, preferably about 55 Shore D or greater. In one embodiment, the intermediate layer hardness is from about 55 Shore D to about 65 Shore D. The intermediate layer may also be about 65 Shore D or greater.

Compression

Compression values are dependent on the diameter of the component being measured. The Atti compression of the core, or portion of the core, of golf balls prepared according to the invention is preferably less than about 80, more preferably less than about 75. As used herein, the terms “Atti compression” or “compression” are defined as the deflection of an object or material relative to the deflection of a calibrated spring, as measured with an Atti Compression Gauge, that is commercially available from Atti Engineering Corp. of Union City, N.J. Atti compression is typically used to measure the compression of a golf ball. In another embodiment, the core compression is from about 40 to about 80, preferably from about 50 to about 70. In yet another embodiment, the core compression is preferably below about 50, and more preferably below about 25.

In an alternative, low compression embodiment, the core has a compression less than about 20, more preferably less than about 10, and most preferably, 0. As known to those of ordinary skill in the art, however, the cores generated according to the present invention may be below the measurement of the Atti Compression Gauge.

In one embodiment, golf balls of the invention preferably have an Atti compression of about 55 or greater, preferably from about 60 to about 120. In another embodiment, the Atti compression of the golf balls of the invention is at least about 40, preferably from about 50 to 120, and more preferably from about 60 to 100. In yet another embodiment, the compression of the golf balls of the invention is about 75 or greater and about 95 or less. For example, a preferred golf ball of the invention may have a compression from about 80 to about 95.

Initial Velocity and COR

There is currently no USGA limit on the COR of a golf ball, but the initial velocity of the golf ball cannot exceed 250±5 feet/second (ft/s). Thus, in one embodiment, the initial velocity is about 245 ft/s or greater and about 255 ft/s or greater. In another embodiment, the initial velocity is about 250 ft/s or greater. In one embodiment, the initial velocity is about 253 ft/s to about 254 ft/s. In yet another embodiment, the initial velocity is about 255 ft/s. While the current rules on initial velocity require that golf ball manufacturers stay within the limit, one of ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that the golf ball of the invention would readily convert into a golf ball with initial velocity outside of this range.

As a result, of the initial velocity limitation set forth by the USGA, the goal is to maximize COR without violating the 255 ft/s limit. The COR of a ball is measured by taking the ratio of the outbound or rebound velocity to the incoming or inbound velocity. In a one-piece solid golf ball, the COR will depend on a variety of characteristics of the ball, including its composition and hardness. For a given composition, COR will generally increase as hardness is increased. In a two-piece solid golf ball, e.g., a core and a cover, one of the purposes of the cover is to produce a gain in COR over that of the core. When the contribution of the core to high COR is substantial, a lesser contribution is required from the cover. Similarly, when the cover contributes substantially to high COR of the ball, a lesser contribution is needed from the core.

The present invention contemplates golf balls having CORs from about 0.700 to about 0.850 at an inbound velocity of about 125 ft/sec. In one embodiment, the COR is about 0.750 or greater, preferably about 0.780 or greater. In another embodiment, the ball has a COR of about 0.800 or greater. In yet another embodiment, the COR of the balls of the invention is about 0.800 to about 0.815.

In addition, the inner ball preferably has a COR of about 0.780 or more. In one embodiment, the COR is about 0.790 or greater.

Flexural Modulus

Accordingly, it is preferable that the golf balls of the present invention have an intermediate layer with a flexural modulus of about 500 psi to about 500,000 psi. More preferably, the flexural modulus of the intermediate layer is about 1,000 psi to about 250,000 psi. In one embodiment, the flexural modulus of the intermediate layer is about 2,000 psi to about 200,000 psi. In another embodiment, the flexural modulus of the intermediate layer is about 30,000 psi to about 80,000 psi. The flexural modulus is measured according to the procedure set forth in ASTM-D790-03, Procedure B.

The flexural modulus of the cover layer is preferably about 2,000 psi or greater, and more preferably about 5,000 psi or greater. In one embodiment, the flexural modulus of the cover is from about 10,000 psi to about 150,000 psi. For example, the flexural modulus of the cover layer may be from about 10,000 psi to about 70,000 psi, from about 12,000 psi to about 60,000 psi, or from about 14,000 psi to about 50,000 psi.

Moisture Vapor Transmission

The moisture vapor transmission of a golf ball portion formed from the compositions of the invention may be expressed in terms of absorption, e.g., weight gain or size gain over a period of time at a specific conditions, and transmission, e.g., moisture vapor transmission rate (MVTR) according to ASTM E96-00. MVTR refers to the mass of water vapor that diffused into a material of a given thickness per unit area per unit time at a specific temperature and humidity differential. For example, weight changes of a golf ball portion monitored over a period of seven weeks in 100 percent relative humidity and 72° F. help to demonstrate which balls have better water resistance. In one embodiment, the golf ball portions of the invention have a weight gain of about 0.15 grams or less after seven weeks. In another embodiment, the golf balls of the invention have a weight gain of about 0.13 grams or less after a seven-week storage period. In still another embodiment, the weight gain of the golf balls of the invention is about 0.09 grams or less after seven weeks. In yet another embodiment, the weight gain is about 0.06 grams or less after a seven-week period. The golf balls of the invention preferably have a weight gain of about 0.03 grams or less over a seven-week storage period.

Size gain may also be used as an indicator of water resistance. That is, the more water a golf ball takes on, the larger a golf ball becomes due to the water enclosed beneath the outermost layer of the golf ball portion. Thus, the golf balls of the invention preferably have no appreciable size gain. In one embodiment, the size gain of the golf balls of the invention after a seven-week period is about 0.001 inches or less.

MVTR of a golf ball, or portion thereof, may be about 2 g/(m²×day) or less, such as about 0.45 to about 0.95 g/(m²×day), about 0.01 to about 0.9 g/(m²×day) or less, at 38° C. and 90 percent relative humidity.

Light Stability

The light stability of the cover may be quantified by the difference in yellowness index (ΔYI), i.e., yellowness measured after a predetermined exposure time—yellowness before exposure. In one embodiment, the ΔYI is about 10 or less after 5 days (120 hours) of exposure, preferably about 6 or less after 5 days of exposure, and more preferably about 4 or less after 5 days of exposure. In another embodiment, the ΔYI is about 2 or less after 5 days of exposure, and more preferably about 1 or less after 5 days of exposure. In yet another embodiment, the ΔYI is about 80 or less after 8 days (192 hours) of exposure, preferably about 60 or less after 8 days of exposure, and more preferably about 40 or less after 8 days of exposure. In still another embodiment, the ΔYI is about 30 or less after 8 days (192 hours) of exposure, preferably about 28 or less after 8 days of exposure, and more preferably about 25 or less after 8 days of exposure.

The difference in the b chroma dimension (Δb*, yellow to blue) is also a way to quantify the light stability of the cover. In one embodiment, the Δb* is about 4 or less after 5 days (120 hours) of exposure, preferably about 3 or less after 5 days of exposure, and more preferably about 2 or less after 5 days of exposure. In another embodiment, the Δb* is about 1 or less after 5 days of exposure. In yet another embodiment, the Δb* is about 25 or less after 8 days (192 hours) of exposure, preferably about 20 or less after 8 days of exposure, and more preferably about 15 or less after 8 days of exposure. In still another embodiment, the Δb* is about 14 or less after 8 days (192 hours) of exposure, preferably about 13 or less after 8 days of exposure, and more preferably about 12 or less after 8 days of exposure.

EXAMPLES

The following non-limiting examples are merely illustrative of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, and are not to be construed as limiting the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims. Parts are by weight unless otherwise indicated.

Example 1 Composition of the Invention

A prepolymer, formed using an amine adduct having a silicone backbone according to the present invention, was cured with an amine-terminated curing agent to form a cover composition as shown in Table 4 below. Both the prepolymer and curing agent included in the formulation of the invention are aromatic-aliphatic in nature. A control cover formulation using a conventional aromatic prepolymer and aromatic curing agent was made as shown below. In particular, the prepolymer and curing agent of the control formulation are aromatic, i.e., the components include carbon-carbon double bonds and, in particular, benzene rings. As such, the invention formulation is inherently more light stable than the control formulation. In addition, the shear rating of the invention formulation is higher than the shear rating of the control formulation.

TABLE 4 COMPOSITION ACCORDING TO INVENTION AND RESULTANT GOLF BALL PROPERTIES Invention Control Formulation Prepolymer A1¹ A2² Curing Agent B1³ B2⁴ White Dispersion C1⁵ C2 Properties Material Hardness 43D 48D Cover Hardness C/D 58/82 63/81 Compression Avg. 89 89 CoR @ 125 ft/sec.  0.808  0.809 Impact Durability, 400 hits 1 @ 325 no failures Cold Crack, 5° F., 15 hits no failures no failures Shear Rating on Molded Ball  1  0 ΔYI/Δb* After 8 Days of 27.9/14.5 81.0/28.14 QUV Exposure ¹A1 is a reaction product of HDI dimer with an amine adduct having a silicone backbone, i.e., an amine adduct of Jeffamine ® D-2000 and silicone. ²A2 is a reaction product of MDI/PTMEG 2000 with 6% NCO. ³B1 is Ethacure ® 100LC, which is a diethyltoluenediamine from Albemarle. ⁴B2 is Ethacure ® 300, which is a is di-(methylthio)toluenediamine from Albemarle. ⁵C1 is HCC19584, which is a white dispersion from The PolyOne Corporation.

Example 2 Composition of the Invention

An amine adduct of the present invention was used as a curing agent to a prepolymer formed from a HDI dimer to form a cover composition (as shown in Table 5 below). A control cover formulation using a conventional prepolymer and curing agent was made as shown below.

In particular, both the prepolymer and curing agent included in the formulation of the invention are aromatic-aliphatic in nature. Comparatively, the prepolymer and curing agent of the control formulation are aromatic, i.e., the components include carbon-carbon double bonds and, in particular, benzene rings. As such, the invention formulation is inherently more light stable than the control formulation.

The properties of the resultant golf ball are provided and compared to a control golf ball prepared according to the formulation set forth. Both the golf ball of the invention and the control golf ball were formed using a polybutadiene rubber core and a thermoplastic inner cover layer. As can be seen in the table, the formulation of the invention produces a cover and resultant golf ball with similar properties as the control formulation.

TABLE 5 COMPOSITION ACCORDING TO INVENTION AND RESULTANT GOLF BALL PROPERTIES Invention Control Formulation Prepolymer A3¹ A2² Curing Agent B3³ B2⁴ White Dispersion C1⁵ C1 Properties Material Hardness 43 Shore D 48 Shore D Compression 87 87 CoR @ 125 ft/sec  0.805  0.807 Impact Durability, 400 hits No failure No failure Cold Crack, 5° F., 15 hits No failure No failure ¹A3 is a prepolymer is a reaction product of HDI dimer with an amine-alcohol of Jeffamine D-2000/caprolactone. ²A2 is a reaction product of MDI/PTMEG 2000 with 6% free NCO. ³B3 is an amine adduct of 1,4-butanediol diglycidal ether with diethyltoluenediamine (Ethacure ® 100LC from Albemarle). ⁴B2 is Ethacure ® 300, which is a di-(methylthio)toluenediamine from Albemarle. ⁵C1 is HCC19584, which is a white dispersion from The PolyOne Corporation.

Example 3 Gel Time

Formulations according to the present invention were compared with a control formulation to determine the effect on gel time/cure rate of the composition. Invention 1 formulation includes an amine adduct of dimethylsiloxane and N,N′-diisopropyl-isophorone diamine and Invention 2 formulation includes an amine adduct of diglycidal ether and N,N′-diisopropyl-isophorone diamine. As shown in Table 6, the formulations of the invention, i.e., those including amine adducts, have a slower rate of cure or gel as compared to control formulations.

TABLE 6 COMPOSITION ACCORDING TO INVENTION AND RESULTANT EFFECT ON GEL TIME Formulation Invention 1 Invention 2 Control Prepolymer A4¹ A4 A4 Curing Agent B4² B5³ B6⁴ White Dispersion C1⁵ C1 C1 Gel Time 60 60 45 ¹A4 is a reaction product of H₁₂MDI/Jeffamine ® D-2000 with 7% Desmodur N-3300. ²B4 is Jefflink ® 754, which is N,N′-diisopropyl-isophorone diamine from Huntsman Corp. ³B5 is an amine adduct of diglycidal ether with Jefflink ® 754. ⁴B6 is an amine adduct of dimethyl siloxane and Jefflink ® 754. ⁵C1 is a HCC19584, which is a white dispersion from The PolyOne Corporation.

Example 4 Thermoplastic Silicone-Urethane Copolymers of the Invention

A conventional solid construction including a cis-1,4 polybutadiene rubber that has been cross-linked with a metal salt of an unsaturated fatty acid such as zinc diacrylate may be used to create a core. The core construction may then be covered using conventional compression molding, or injection molding or casting techniques with a cover formulation containing a thermoplastic silicone-urethane copolymer of the invention by using a one-shot method or pre-polymer approach. For example, the method may include intimately mixing 0.05 mole of methane bis (4-phenylisocyanate) (MDI), 0.015 mole of 3-hydroxypropyl terminated polydimethylsiloxane (molecular weight about 1000) and 0.035 mole of 1,4 butanediol and a suitable catalyst and elevated temperatures if needed. The cover may be between about 0.05 and 0.10 inches thick.

In another example of the invention, a copolymer of silicone-polyurethane is blended with at least one thermoplastic or thermoset polymer, including ionomers and their acid polymers including highly neutralized polymers, polyolefins, polyacrylates, polyamides, polyphenylene oxide, polyisoprene, block copoly (ether or ester-amide), block copoly (ether or ester-ester), polysulfones, reaction injection moldable thermoplastic and thermoset polymers, block copolymer of styrene-butadiene and its hydrogenated derivatives, dynamically vulcanized ethylene-propylene rubber, polyvinylidenefluoride, acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene copolymer, polyureas, epoxy resins, polystyrenes, acrylics, polyethylenes, polyamides, polybutadienes and polyesters.

A golf ball including a core, an inner cover having a flexural modulus greater than 50,000 psi, and a cover comprised of thermoplastic silicone-urethane copolymers may also be formed according to the invention. The cover may be about 0.02 to 0.05 inches thick and, in one embodiment, have initial modulus of less than 10,000 psi. In another embodiment, the initial modulus may be between about 300 psi and 100,000 psi.

A golf ball including a core, cover, and intermediate layer of thermoplastic silicone-urethane copolymer is formed. The core preferably has a diameter of at least 1.0 inch. The intermediate layer is preferably between about 0.02 to 0.10 inches, and the cover has a thickness of less than about 0.1 inches. Preferably, the cover is formed of a thermoset or thermoplastic material such as polyurethane, polyurea, ionomer, or other elastomer. The polybutadiene rubber composition of the core comprises at least 2.2 pph of a halogenated organosulfur compound, preferably zinc pentachlorothiophenol.

Table 7 summarizes the golf ball performance of several experimental ball cover compositions including a copolymer of silicone-polyester urethane or silicone-polycarbonate urethane. For this study, cores having a diameter of about 1.55 inches and compression of about 81 were used and a casing layer having a thickness of about 0.035 inches was molded about the core by compression molding. The Coefficient of Restitution (CoR) of the golf ball was greater than about 0.8. The outer cover layer of the golf ball is about 0.030 inches thick and was molded over the casing layer using a retractable pin injection molding process.

TABLE 7 SILICONE-URETHANE COPOLYMER AS AN OUTER COVER LAYER Cover Compositions Ex. 1 Ex. 2 Ex. 3 CE1 Aliphatic Silicone-polyester urethane (hard) 100 Aliphatic Silicone-polyester urethane (soft) 100 Aliphatic Silicone-polycarbonate urethane (hard) 100 Light stable polyurethane cover (Shore D 55) 100 Properties Flexural modulus of the cover material (kpsi) 78.4 13.9 73.2 Ball Compression 96 90 95 97 CoR at 125 ft/sec 0.811 0.803 0.809 0.805

Table 8 summarizes the effect of silicone-urethane copolymer as an inner cover layer. Cores having a diameter of 1.550 inches, an Atti Compression of about 77, and a COR of about 0.830 were used for this study. The silicone-urethane compositions were molded around the core using an injection molding process.

TABLE 8 Effect of Silicone Urethane Copolymer as an Inner Cover Layer on Ball Properties Inner Cover Compositions Ex. 4 Ex. 5 Ex. 6 CE #2 Aliphatic silicone-polyester urethane (hard) 100 Aliphatic silicone-polyester urethane (soft) 100 Aliphatic silicone-polycarbonate urethane (hard) 100 Surlyn 7940/Surlyn 8940 (50/50) 100 Properties Flexural modulus of inner cover material (kpsi) 78.4 13.9 73.2 64.0 Compression for the casing construction 90 81 91 87 CoR at 125 ft/sec for the casing layer 0.831 0.821 N/A 0.843

Example 5 Golf Balls According to the Invention

Golf balls were made according to the invention using crosslinked polybutadiene cores and inner covers as provided in Table 9 below.

TABLE 9 COMPOSITION ACCORDING TO INVENTION AND RESULTANT GOLF BALL PROPERTIES Invention Control Core CoR @ 125 ft/sec. 0.829 0.832 Atti compression 73 77 Inner Cover Layer Formulation H₁₂MDI-based silicone 80 100 polyurethane Maleic anhydride grafted 20 — ethylene-butene copolymer Ball Properties Shore D hardness from 55 66 flexural bar CoR @ 125 ft/sec. 0.821 — (7 out of 12 samples broke during testing) Atti compression 76 90

Other than in the examples, or unless otherwise expressly specified, all of the numerical ranges, amounts, values and percentages such as those for amounts of materials, times and temperatures of reaction, ratios of amounts, values for molecular weight (whether number average molecular weight (“Mn”) or weight average molecular weight (“Mw”), and others in the following portion of the specification may be read as if prefaced by the word “about” even though the term “about” may not expressly appear with the value, amount or range. Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numerical parameters set forth in the following specification and attached claims are approximations that may vary depending upon the desired properties sought to be obtained by the present invention. At the very least, each numerical parameter should at least be construed in light of the number of reported significant digits and by applying ordinary rounding techniques.

Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forth the broad scope of the invention are approximations, the numerical values set forth in the specific examples are reported as precisely as possible. Any numerical value, however, inherently contain certain errors necessarily resulting from the standard deviation found in their respective testing measurements. Furthermore, when numerical ranges of varying scope are set forth herein, it is contemplated that any combination of these values inclusive of the recited values may be used.

The invention described and claimed herein is not to be limited in scope by the specific embodiments herein disclosed, since these embodiments are intended as illustrations of several aspects of the invention. Any equivalent embodiments are intended to be within the scope of this invention. For example, the compositions of the invention may also be used in golf equipment such as putter inserts, golf club heads and portions thereof, golf shoe portions, and golf bag portions. Indeed, various modifications of the invention in addition to those shown and described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the foregoing description. Such modifications are also intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims. All patents and patent applications cited in the foregoing text are expressly incorporate herein by reference in their entirety. 

1. A golf ball comprising a core and a cover, wherein the cover is formed from a composition comprising: a first component consisting essentially of a reaction product of an isocyanate; and an amine-terminated component; a second component comprising a silicone having oxirane functionality; and a third component comprising an impact resistant polymer.
 2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the impact resistant polymer comprises ethylene-n-butyl acrylate-glycidyl acrylate, maleic anhydride grafted ethylene-butene copolymer, maleic anhydride grafted ethylene-hexene copolymer, maleic anhydride grafted ethylene-octene copolymer, ethylene-n-butyl acrylate-carbon monoxide, acid copolymers, chemically-modified ethylene-propylene rubber, EPDM rubber, ABS, MBS, SEBS-g-MA, or any combination thereof.
 3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the first component is saturated.
 4. The golf ball of claim 1, further comprising a curing agent selected from the group consisting of an amine-terminated curing agent, a hydroxyl-terminated curing agent, and a combination thereof.
 5. The golf ball of claim 4, wherein the curing agent is an amine-terminated curing agent.
 6. A golf ball, wherein at least a portion of the golf ball is formed from a composition comprising: a first component comprising a polyurea prepolymer that is the reaction product of an isocyanate and an amine-terminated component; a second component comprising a silicone having oxirane functionality; and a third component comprising an impact resistant polymer.
 7. The golf ball of claim 6, comprising a core, an inner cover layer, and an outer cover layer, wherein the inner cover layer is formed from the composition. 